​Shaq visits Gainesville to play ball with kids

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal made a special trip to Gainesville to play basketball with a group of kids, more than a week after someone called police to complain they were playing too loudly in the street.

Last week, someone called the Gainesville Police Department to make the complaint.

Officer Bobby White responded and instead of reprimanding the kids, he decided to join in and play with them.

His dash camera was rolling and captured more kids showing up to join in.

"Have fun. Glad to see y'all doing this than out there causing problems," Officer White told the group. "You play here every day? Okay, I'm going to try to bring some back-up out here tomorrow and we'll get a game going."

As of Saturday evening, the video had been viewed on the WJXT Facebook page more than eight million times and shared more than 154,000 times.

Shaq heard about the story and wanted to surprise the kids. He wanted it to remain a secret.

Maybe he felt guilty for saying a whole lot of crazy about black people. Or, maybe his co-stars from those hilarious “Road To The Final Four” commercials, Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson, put a bug in his ear. But whatever the reason, we are over the moon that former NBA baller Sir Charles Barkley is donating $1Million dollars to Morehouse College, the Historically Black College for men in Atlanta, Ga.The TNT analyst announced the gift during a media conference call for the American Century Championship’s celebrity golf tournament earlier this week.During the call, Barkley, who reportedly just signed an 8 to 10 year extension with the TV show “Inside The NBA,” said, “I just got a new contract, and my goal is always to give a million dollars a year away to charity.”In fact, “the round mound of rebound” announced $3 million in gifts that day (must have been a good contract). Barkley gave Lee and Jackson’s beloved Morehouse $1 million, and he also donated $1 million to his own alma mater, Auburn University. He also announced another $1 million to the Wounded Warriors project, a charity for veterans, saying, “I think it’s a joke the way they treat our soldiers.”

Russell Westbrook donated his All-Star Game MVP car to a single mom and her kidsBy Seth Rosenthal

Hey, here is a very nice thing! For his night of smashing on folks and nearly setting a points record in February, Russell Westbrook won All-Star Game MVP and a new car. Russell Westbrook does not need a new car, so he and the Thunder got in touch with Sunbeam Family Services in Oklahoma City and found someone who does:

Kerstin Gonzales is 19 years old and a mother of two, and she was thrilled to receive such a gift from Westbrook. Now she not only has wheels to get around, but the knowledge that moments like this helped make it happen:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork was driving home from Sunday night's rousing victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game when he noticed a Jeep Wrangler rolled onto its side on Route 1 not far from Gillette Stadium.So he did what he said anyone else would: He pulled over and lent a helping hand, with the Massachusetts State Police arriving soon after and crediting Wilfork with helping pull the driver -- 38-year-old Mary Ellen Brooks of Hanson, Massachusetts -- out of the vehicle.

"Through football and the course of life, I've learned to try to stay poised in certain situations and I'm pretty sure she was kind of scared," Wilfork said Monday in the team's locker room. "The last thing I wanted to do was have her panic, and that was the first thing I told her, 'Don't panic. We'll get you out of here.' We got her out, the cops came and that was about it."The accident occurred at 12:45 a.m., and trooper Kenneth Proulx reported that he held the driver's door open while Wilfork reached in and helped lift Brooks out of the vehicle with one hand. Wilfork then departed after ensuring no more assistance was needed. Brooks was then arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle."He's got a lot of character and a lot of integrity -- how generous he is with his time and personal support, and the time and interest and compassion he has for other fellow human beings," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "It doesn't surprise me because that's really the type of person he is."

Iverson looking forward to Manila visitABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – With a little over two months to go before his scheduled visit to the Philippines, former NBA Most Valuable Player Allen Iverson expressed his excitement to touch base with his Filipino fans again.Iverson will be in the country in early November for a charity basketball game that benefits Gawad Kalinga, as well as a series of basketball clinics for the youth.He will be joined by ex-NBA players Gilbert Arenas, Eddy Curry, and DeMarr Johnson along with the Ball Up Streetball All-Stars for a basketball fundraiser dubbed "All In" at the Mall of Asia Arena on November 5."I can't wait to see you all this November," Iverson said in an e-mail. "I'm very thankful for the opportunity to come out there and be a part of a good cause for the poor and homeless Filipinos.""I hope all of you would come out and support us in this project," added Iverson, an 11-time NBA All-Star.The event will be feature Iverson calling the shots for the Ball Up crew against Arenas, Curry, Johnson and a local selection to be made up of players from the UAAP, NCAA and PBA.Iverson is currently touring the United States and holding basketball clinics. His longtime manager and close friend, Gary Moore, said it is part of Iverson's preparations as he seriously plans to venture into coaching in the near future."Allen is really looking forward to coming to the Philippines to meet his Filipino fans. Although he's already retired, Allen is still very passionate about basketball and loves sharing his knowledge and experiences," said Moore."We're sure that by visiting Manila, Allen will have a wider reach and inspire more people," he added.Tickets to "All In" are now available at all SM Tickets outlets, PCWorx branches, and online at www.smtickets.com.Ticket prices are pegged at P6,500 (VIP), P5,500 (Patron), P4,000 (Lower Box), P2,000 (Upper Box) and P600 (General Admission).

The man known to basketball fans around the world as "Sir Charles" has offered to perform a truly noble act, offering to pay for the funerals of three Philadelphia siblings who were killed Friday when a stolen van crashed into the fruit stand they and their mother were running to raise money for their church.Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams disclosed Barkley's offer Monday at a press conference."Like most Philadelphians, many Americans and people across the world," Williams said, "[Barkley] wanted me to know that he wanted to pay for the funeral for these three children and I put him in touch with the family so he can do that."Barkley has not spoken publicly about his apparent offer. The Alabama native played for the Philadelphia 76ers between 1984 and 1992 and was one of the most popular athletes in the city's history during his tenure. Since his retirement in 2000, Barkley has worked as an NBA analyst on TNT's broadcasts. The crash in North Philadelphia killed Keiearra Williams, 15, Thomas Joseph Reed, 10, and Terrence Williams, 7. The children's mother, Keisha Williams, was critically injured and a neighbor suffered a broken ankle. On Monday, Philadelphia police announced that Cornelius Crawford, 23, and Jonathan Rosa, 19 had been charged with second-degree murder, robbery, carjacking, sexual assault and other counts in connection with the tragedy. Click for more from CBS Philly.

Retired American football pro Michael Strahan is giving back to his alma mater, Texas Southern University, by donating a whopping $100,000 to the marching band.“Ocean of Soul,” as the marching band is called, will be using the funds to travel to Canton, Ohio so that they can play when Strahan is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. The 42-year-old Strahan announced the news on Tuesday morning on Live with Kelly and Michael!, ABC’s morning show that he co-hosts with Kelly Ripa.The marching band needed $150,000 and they surpassed their monetary goal with Strahan’s donation, Kevin Hart’s $50,000 donation, and other donations. Strahan said, “I can’t let Kevin do it all alone, so I’m going to give them $100,000. Thank you, Kevin for the $50,000, and I’ll give the hundred and we’ll get the band there and hopefully the kids will have a great time. And I appreciate all the support.”Drum major Darius Harris said, “We have a special edge. We bring things out to light that other bands cannot bring.”Marching band director Richard Lee said that playing at the Pro Football Hall of Fame event is an exciting opportunity for the band, as many people have not seen them play yet. “We want to make sure we give them an excellent performance as we always do,” he said.Texas Southern University’s Associate Vice President Eva Pickens said that they had a goal to raise $150,000 in 30 days. Now that they surpassed their goal, the excess funds will be used for scholarships for the band students.“Ocean of Soul” will be participating in the Pro Football Hall of Fame event by performing at the fan appreciation tailgate party at the Hall of Fame Campus. The event will be held on August 2.Strahan played for the New York Giants from 1993 to 2007.

RGIII helps special needs student get asked to prom

(TheGrio) Earlier this week Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (RGIII) helped one Virginia high school student ask a special needs friend to prom.At a recent Centreville High School lacrosse game, 17-year-old Juwaan Espinal, who is non-verbal due to cerebral palsy, was asked to prom in an extraordinary way, reports WJLA.Thanks to his group of friends, who enlisted the help of Espinal’s favorite NFL player, classmate Morgan Assel asked the big question.RGIII and Assel waited behind a big banner that read: “I know I’m not as cool as RGIII, but will you go to the prom with me?”

“I’m just really excited and really grateful that RGIII came to help Juwaan,” Assel told WJLA. “It just really means a lot that people are willing to do this for him because he is such a special person and he really deserves it.”Ibis Espinal, Juwaan’s mother, said seeing “something like this, it makes you feel good.”

Steve Smith Found Young Fan Who Cried After His Release From Panthers

The Carolina Panthers cut receiver Steve Smith last week after 13 seasons with the team. The news came hard to one young Panthers fan as his father caught his emotional reaction on camera. But the kid might not be that upset for long. The veteran wideout caught wind of the video after it went viral and then used Twitter on Sunday to actually get in touch with the fan.

Return of the King: Lebron James Masters the Personal Brand ReboundDavid Toner (Clickz.com)

Lebron James has been such a fixture in the sports and marketing worlds for so long, it can be difficult to remember he's only been in the NBA since 2003. Along the way, Lebron and LeBrand have been multimedia fixtures, exploited by and exploiting media channels.Today, we are seeing the intersection of social media and sports, for better or (more often) for worse; witness the summer of Heisman winner Johnny Manziel and the current Twitter battle between the Knicks' JR Smith and Bucks' Brandon Jennings. Before that, however, there was the print, broadcast, cable and online video multimedia coronation that delivered us Lebron James.Birth of the KingLebron almost single-handedly ushered in the era of year-round high school sports coverage on national cable TV. During 2002-2003, in his final two years at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Cleveland, his team traveled across the country for several made-for-tv games, including one against perennial power Oak Hill Academy that was nationally televised on ESPN2.

During his junior season, Sports Illustrated featured him on the cover as "The Chosen One" (see image above) and the local Time Warner Cable offered St. Vincent-St. Mary's games to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis throughout the season. James, then only 17, of course reaped none of the financial benefit, but lots of other people did.Down Goes the KingGiven all the adulation and speculation when James pursued free agency in 2010, it was no surprise that when he completed his courtships, he decided to exploit the media to his advantage with ESPN's "The Decision." This event was literally unprecedented and while the telecast had noble, charitable intentions, it was an epic brand failure.The charitable side worked; the live broadcast from the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, CT, raised $2.5 million and an additional $3.5 million in ad revenue that was donated to other charities. Still, it did irreparable damage to James' reputation. With his live declaration of "taking my talents to South Beach," James' decision transformed from a basketball transaction to a brand meltdown. The broadcast was widely lampooned and met with anger and even burned jerseys in his scorned hometown of Cleveland.A Re-Coronation (Of Sorts)On the court, there can be little argument with James' decision to join Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade on the Miami Heat. They have appeared in the NBA Finals all three years together, winning the past two years and beginning to fulfill the promise of bringing multiple championships to Miami.Following last year's "Heat Repeat" as NBA Champion, Lebron's standing as the elite player in the NBA is without question, but still his overall brand image beyond hoops lags behind Michael Jordan's at the same point in his career. Despite Lebron's continued development as a leader and his dominance on the hardwood, he has not created an image beyond the sport he dominates. He remains known in non-basketball circles more for "The Decision" than anything else... that is until now.He Walks Among UsWith the start of the latest NBA season, Nike & Samsung, Lebron's two largest sponsors, launched high-profile, heavy media rotation 60-second spots that humanize him. Whether by coincidence or careful brand planning, it is clear that the king now walks among us in Nike's "Training Day" spot (below). The Heat forward exhibits his intense daily workout routine, while inspiring the children of Miami to follow along. As James told the Associated Press, "So much fun, man."

He said, "The message is obvious. I want people to feel like they're at one with me and I had a lot of fun, shooting it all over Miami and to have all those kids, it was great."Samsung's "At Home" spot takes the viewer a level deeper, showing James at home and at play with his family. Again, he is training, but this time with his son riding on his back while he does pushups. He also hits a mid-court length shot into the swimming pool basket from the second-story balcony. But the real star is his humanity, his everyman engagement with his wife and son around the house and the hoop. Sure, his house is bigger than ours, but lots of fathers have played out the last second shot in the driveway. In other words, he is just like one of us.The Ultimate ReboundBasketball fans will continue to debate where King James ranks with the all-time greats, but amongst the broader, mainstream audience, his brand has rebounded into rarified air and these two spots clearly illustrate this comeback. While we may not literally be able to keep up with his training regime, Nike and Samsung have invited us to try... and to become a part of the King's court and LeBrand's team.

Dez Bryant surprises people in line at Wal-Mart with PlayStation 4s

By Melissa Rohlin LA Times

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant went to a Wal-Mart in Dallas on Thursday evening for the PlayStation 4 midnight release.While there, he did something completely unexpected and spontaneous. He bought video consoles for all five people in line.Each console costs $399.Props to Bryant for that act of kindness.

Star Comes Home to Build in Newark

By Heather Haddon

(online.wsj.com) NEWARK—Growing up here in the 1970s, Shaquille O'Neal's family ushered him to two places to keep him off the streets: the local Boys and Girls Club and the nearby movie theater."Any place that I could be for two to three hours was always good," said Mr. O'Neal, the former National Basketball Association star, in an interview.

An old theater on Springfield Avenue is now CityPlex12 Newark, after a $7 million renovation completed in 2012 by a joint venture between the retired basketball center and a prominent New Brunswick developer.It's one of several projects Mr. O'Neal and Boraie Development are working on in Newark and other New Jersey cities to bring commercial and housing development—including market-rate units—into some of the state's more distressed areas.It is a burgeoning partnership that has begun attracting notice, with Mr. O'Neal lending money and star power to a local developer with extensive political contacts and experience.

"Our team is focused right now on Jersey's urban downtowns," Mr. O'Neal said. "We don't want to be all over the place. We want to do one great project at a time."Their latest project breaks ground on Friday, a $60 million rental complex that will be downtown Newark's first new housing tower in 50 years. Mr. O'Neal will attend the ceremony, along with Newark Mayor Cory Booker, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and other officials.

Mr. O'Neal and Boraie Development also are moving forward on a market-rate housing tower, movie theater and retail complex for Atlantic City, and have three other developments in the works for Newark.Mr. O'Neal is a co-developer and receives an equity stake, which Wasseem Boraie, vice president of Boraie Development, declined to detail. The basketball star—who has a soda brand in partnership with Arizona Beverages and is involved in several business ventures—helps plan the projects but leaves the details up to the Boraies."My job is to say, 'Hey, make it beautiful,'" said Mr. O'Neal, a 41-year-old Orlando resident.Mr. O'Neal said he views his foray into development as giving back to the city of his youth. His partners view them as smart investments. "If you build the right product, the dollars are there," Mr. Boraie said of building in New Jersey's cities.

Real-estate ventures by pro athletes don't always pan out. National Football League stars Michael Vick, Warren Sapp and Mark Brunell, for example, filed for bankruptcy in part because of real-estate deals that went bust.A sports star's name can lend visibility to a real-estate project, but a player needs to vet the developer he or she partners with, said Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel Inc., a New York City appraisal and consulting firm. "It's not that these people aren't smart. They are going into something completely new," he said. "They are vulnerable."In the past decade, Boraie has built more than one million square feet of commercial and residential property in New Jersey, according to company figures. Most of the projects are in New Brunswick.Omar Boraie, the firm's patriarch, was a chemist in Egypt and came to the U.S. in 1970 to get his doctorate. He didn't return to chemistry, and all three of his adult children now work with him in real estate.The Boraies are generous political donors in New Jersey. Since the 1980s, the family has given about $312,420 to New Jersey politicians and political committees on the state and federal level, campaign records show. Most were in New Brunswick and Newark, where the firm works. The family has contributed around $10,000 to Mr. Booker's bid for Senate, along with $10,600 for his mayoral runs, the records show.Wasseem Boraie said the campaign contributions weren't to influence officials where they worked, but to ensure "good governance stays in New Jersey." A Booker administration spokesman said the project was negotiated on its merits alone.The Boraies said they met Mr. O'Neal through his uncle, Mike Parris, a New Jersey resident. They started talking about teaming up in 2005, and set their sights on Newark.The new 169-unit housing tower will rise near the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. It will include a pool, a gym and a doorman, with rents starting at $1,400 for a studio. The site is the former headquarters of the Ballantine Brewing company, and its 19th-century façade will be preserved. The project is receiving tax breaks from Newark and the state.The theater's opening last year was seen as a big moment for Newark. It features a 300-seat auditorium and leather seats. Attendance has more than doubled this year, compared with an average of previous years, Mr. Boraie said. Asked about security problems there, he said nothing major had occurred, but: "It's Newark.""It's a beautiful thing what he's done with this theater," said Kabir Nunnally, a 44-year-old cook who lives five blocks away.—Ricardo Kaulessar contributed to this article.Write to Heather Haddon at heather.haddon@wsj.com

Staley Enshrined in Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

SPRINGFIELD, MA -South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley achieved the highest honor of her career tonight as she joined basketball luminaries with her enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Of the now 337 inductees to the Hall of Fame, Staley is one of just 27 individual women to be enshrined and just the 15th female player to go in on her individual merits. Joining Staley in the Class of 2013 are: nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton, seven-time NCAA Final Four coach Rick Pitino, five-time NCAA Final Four coach Guy Lewis, four-time NBA All-Start Bernard King, four-time NCAA Final Four coach Jerry Tarkanian, three-time National Coach of the Year Sylvia Hatchell, Roger Brown, Dr. E.B. Henderson, Oscar Schmidt, Richard Guerin and Russ Granik. Staley is synonymous with women's basketball excellence in an era that launched two professional leagues in the United States, including the WNBA. After earning USA Today National High School Player of the Year honors, she went on to a stellar career at the University of Virginia. A three-time Kodak All-American, Staley was the Sports Illustrated Player of the Year and won the Honda-Broderick Cup Award for Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year in 1991 after leading her Cavaliers to the national championship game. She played in three NCAA Final Fours and was twice the ACC Player of the Year. She is the only player in women's college basketball history to record 2,000 points, 700 assists and 400 steals. On the international stage, Staley continued to excel and has been part of the United States' last four Olympic gold medals - three as a player (1996, 2000, 2004) and one as an assistant coach (2008). Twice named USA Basketball's Female Athlete of the Year (1994, 2004), she was selected by her fellow Olympians from all sports to carry the flag in the 2004 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Following the success of the 1996 Olympic team, Staley joined one of the two fledgling professional leagues in the U.S., playing with the Richmond (later relocated to Philadelphia) Rage of the ABL for two seasons, earning All-Star status both years. After joining the WNBA in 1999, Staley garnered five All-Star selections, twice earned the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and was named to the All-Decade Team. After her retirement in 2006, the league began awarding the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in 2007. Staley was enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2012 with her former USA Basketball teammate and current assistant coach Nikki McCray. In 2013, the Phoenix Club of Philadelphia established the Dawn Staley Award, given to the nation's best guard in women's Division I basketball. Now making a name for herself in the coaching ranks, Staley just completed her 13th season as head coach, her fifth at South Carolina. In leading the Gamecocks to a 92-66 record over that time, she has guided the team to back-to-back 25-win seasons, including last season's 25-8 mark for the fourth-highest winning percentage in program history. The Gamecocks advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2012, the deepest into the tournament a Staley-coached team has advanced.

(HuffPost) I grew up on the northwest side of Detroit. My mother, a factory worker for Chrysler, raised me to be the man I am today. Although there were times we went with no heat, I remember how hard she worked to provide for my brothers, sister and me. There seemed to be plenty of jobs back then in the Motor City. Times sure have changed. What most of you remember from my days at Michigan happened on the basketball court. Very few realize that I was actually a good student who also made the Dean's List. Education was always important to me and that's why despite leaving college early for the NBA draft, I made it a priority to go back and earned my bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland University College. Basketball was my spring board to college, but all inner-city kids aren't that fortunate. I will always be proud to call Detroit my hometown. What I'm not proud of is the lack of high-performing schools for our kids and the lack of jobs for their parents. This is a national epidemic, but as most know, it is especially bad in Detroit. Education in Detroit must play a critical role in transforming the community into a more vibrant intellectual and economic landscape. In 2011, Detroit Public Schools said its 2010 graduation rate increased to 62 percent and its dropout rate declined to 19 percent. These numbers, which are an improvement since 2009, are dismal. Detroit needs and deserves better schools to provide more opportunities for its children, and its workforce. As a philanthropist who truly gives from the heart, I established the Jalen Rose Foundation in 2000 to create life-changing opportunities for underserved youth. Since its inception, I personally donated over $1.2 million, which included more than 40 college scholarships to Detroit Public School students. Over the years, I was disappointed in the quality of the scholarship applications and always wanted to do more to improve the educational landscape in my hometown. It wasn't fair these kids were being sent to college unprepared and in need of remediation. That's why I founded the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) in 2011. This new public charter high school not only provides Detroit's children a strong education and hope for a bright future, it also provides jobs to people in the community. My goal at JRLA is to provide a private school education in a public school setting so that a student's ZIP code doesn't dictate the education they receive. I am humbled by the opportunity to help further the education of our youth as well as be able to create jobs for my community.

Bringing high-quality education to Detroit's disenfranchised inner city isn't easy. Detroit charter schools receive less state aid than Detroit Public Schools, including roughly 85 percent of what nearby suburban schools receive. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools do not receive funding from their school districts to purchase, lease, or improve facilities. Often, this causes financial challenges that can limit the charter school's ability to provide appropriate accommodations. And boy, have we had our financial challenges. Traditional banks are reluctant to finance new public schools -- particularly innovative ones -- because of the perceived risk in investing in low-income communities. We have a non-profit partner, Operation Graduation, that was able to mortgage a former elementary school building; however, we needed to renovate the facility to bring it up to code and make it functional for the high school students we were recruiting. That's when we turned to NCB Capital Impact, a community lender with a long record of successfully financing projects in low-income communities.A loan from NCB Capital Impact in the amount of $1.1 million allowed Operation Graduation to begin renovations on its facility that is occupied by the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, which served approximately 120 ninth graders in its first year, 88 percent of whom qualified for free or reduced price lunches. The loan allowed for renovations of the former elementary school to accommodate high school students; the school now serves more than 200 ninth and 10th graders and an additional freshman class will be added each year.

It has also helped create 17 new permanent jobs including administrators, teachers, and building maintenance positions for people in the community. And we plan to hire additional staff as the school expands.

We are currently working to expand our existing facility to accommodate the needs of our growing student body. Although we are situated in a stable neighborhood on the northwest side of Detroit, we find ourselves once again struggling to find a lender to finance the first phase of our expansion which will include additional classroom space. We are optimistic that NCB Capital will assist us again.The Jalen Rose Leadership Academy is a success story that will one day bear replication; creating educational and professional opportunities in Detroit is important and necessary. And it's not, as some funders would have you believe, risky. In fact, it's risky not to.

And without the help of NCB Capital Impact, and Create Jobs for USA, none of this would have come about.

Create Jobs for USA is an initiative founded by Starbucks and Opportunity Finance Network, a network of community lenders, like NCB Capital Impact. It mobilizes donations that go to community lenders, and they lend it to community businesses, like Operation Graduation/JRLA, to create jobs. So far, it has created or retained more than 5,000 American jobs.

(NBC) Former NBA player Magic Johnson is hoping to cast his spell on the educational experience of some Chicago teens.Johnson is opening two Magic Johnson Bridgescape Academies in the South Shore and North/South Lawndale neighborhoods this fall.The alternative schools targets students aged 13-21 who have dropped out of high school or at risk of not graduating, another path to earn a high school diploma.A news conference was scheduled for Wednesday morning, where Bridgescape Academy executives, teachers and community leaders were planning to discuss the schools and officially open enrollment.Fifteen of the schools in five states are currently open across the country, with the majority located in Ohio.According to the web site, the schools offer programs suitable to a student's "schedule, lifestyle and learning needs." School days are abbreviated and flexible with an emphasis on online learning tools.The schools are free for students to attend.

WASHINGTON -- Ray Allen would be the first to admit he needed a little luck to defeat a tough opponent, like he had when Chris Bosh secured a rebound, funneled it out to Allen who, without thinking, set his feet behind the three-point line and hit a game tying shot that propelled the Miami Heat to their second straight NBA Finals win.But now Ray, his son Walker, and his family face an opponent that's not so easily defeated, Type 1 Diabetes."We dream a day when Walker can leave this disease behind," Allen said in a congressional hearing with the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The hearing was held in part for the renewal of the Special Diabetes Program, government legislation that helps fund Type 1 Diabetes research.Walker Allen, 6, was diagnosed with diabetes in 2008 when he was 17 months old. The diagnosis came during the NBA Finals when Ray Allen was with the Boston Celtics and in Los Angeles to face the Lakers. Walker became very ill during Game 5 and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital. The Celtics would go on to win the Finals in Game 6, but the Allen family's bout with diabetes had just begun."Even though just a few days later we finished our journey, winning Game 6 being crowned the NBA champion, another journey began that we are still on today."It's been five years since Walker's diagnosis and monitoring the disease has become normal for the family. Their routine includes checking Walker's glucose and administering insulin as necessary all day, and during the night time Ray and his wife Shannon will check on Walker every two hours.Shannon, who sits on the Board of Directors for Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, said SDP seeks $150 million for additional research which "could be the actual difference between Walker seeing a cure in his lifetime or not.""There's three million people living with Type 1 Diabetes and it just doesn't have to be that way," Shannon said.

Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins is one of the most talented players in the NBA, a center capable of scoring, passing, rebounding, and protecting the rim at a star level in any one game. Unfortunately, Cousins has developed a reputation as one of the most immature players in the NBA, as well, earning suspensions and admonishment from seemingly every corner of the basketball world. Some of those punishments have been related to Cousins's reputation more than the actions themselves, but there's no question that he's not the best behaved kid around. If he's ever going to fulfill his massive potential, he'll need to grow up.To do so, Cousins will also need a support system. A surprising figure has emerged to join that group.From CBS Sacramento (via SLAM):Vivek Ranadive and Mark Mastrov sat down for dinner with the TNT analyst and formerLos Angeles Lakers star at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Melo Park.Three months after O’Neal said he thought the Kings were sold and gone at the NBA All-Star Game in Houston, the all-star center said he’s going to help tutor DeMarcus Cousins.O’Neal said, “I’m going to make DeMarcus Cousins the best big man in the game.”O’Neal also praised the planned new Kings arena, which won a Sacramento City Council vote to approve $6.5 million in funding for the project.As a member of the Lakers in the early '00s, O'Neal routinely insulted the rival Kings — most notably calling them the "Queens" — so his praise for the organization is surprising if only for that one reason. However, the odder fact regarding Shaq's mentorship of Cousins might be that he's never seemed to be the most mature person or athlete. While Shaq certainly accomplished a great deal, he was perceived to not work as hard as he could have, to court attention maybe a little too much to the detriment of his team.Or maybe that's the idea. While everyone wants Cousins to mature, it's possible that a certain baseline of immaturity is just part of his personality. As an extremely talented player who also found space for irreverence, Shaq could be the right person to teach Cousins how to maintain that balance. He can become an elite player without sacrificing all of the intensity and passion — good qualities, in moderation — that sometimes leads to bad decisions.We often put a player's maturity in binary terms, as if becoming more professional required flipping a switch and committing to adulthood. It's more like a continuum, though, and a player (or any person, for that matter) can't be expected to change personality entirely just because his profession wants him to. Shaq's history suggests he might be able to show Cousins how to make it work without letting go of himself.

On the day his mother died from complications of lupus almost a decade ago, Dwayne Davisremembers coming home from school to find the living room full of the same flowers and balloons that once surrounded her hospital bed.At first, Davis was elated because he assumed doctors had finally allowed Lawanda Smallwood to return home. Only after a tearful conversation with his step-dad did the 13-year-old discover the tragic truth."I was devastated," Davis said. "She had been to the hospital a few times before that, but she had always come home after a couple days. This was pretty sudden. We didn't see it coming. It was the worst news I ever heard in my life."Since his father wasn't involved in his life and his step-father lacked the income to offer much support, Davis had to assume much of the responsibility for raising his baby brother and 8-year-old sister after his mother's death. He confronted obstacles no boy so young should have to overcome, from sleeping in homeless shelters or his mom's old van, to driving his sister to school long before he was old enough to have a license, to selling stolen PlayStation 3s out of the trunk of the car in order to scrape together money for food.That Davis emerged from such poverty to arrive where he is today is so implausible even he still wonders how he managed to do it. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard escaped his hardscrabble Philadelphianeighborhood, became the first person in his family to earn a college degree and played so well in his lone season of Division I hoops at Southern Miss that he has caught the interest of NBA teams.Only invited to the Portsmouth Invitational last month after Southern Miss coach Donnie Tyndallmade a late plea on his behalf, Davis quickly proved he belonged, averaging 21.7 points per game and earning first-team all-tournament honors. A lack of elite athleticism has hindered his draft stock, but Davis has performed well enough in workouts with a half dozen NBA teams to merit consideration as a potential second-round pick."I think he will hear his name called in the mid-to-late second round,"said Keith Kreiter, Davis' agent at Edge Sports International. "How confident am I? The draft is very tough and it's difficult to say, but I think he brings a lot to the table. You know he's going to work hard every day, you know he's going to be a great teammate, you know he's going to score the ball and you know he's going to play hard at both ends."Crisscrossing the country to visit with NBA coaches and executives the past few weeks is pretty surreal for someone who grew up as humbly as Davis.

Even before his mom's death, Davis lacked a stable home or male role model. His mom bounced between several men and sometimes struggled to support her kids, so the family often resorted to spending long, shivery nights in shelters or to crashing with friends or relatives.Basketball quickly became a release for Davis. He honed his silky shooting stroke on the snow-covered Philadelphia playgrounds, earning the nickname "Rifleman" from his friends for his soft touch from well behind the arc.It became much tougher for Davis to prioritize either school or basketball in junior high once his mom died. He had much bigger concerns at that time, like figuring out where he and his siblings could sleep for the night or find their next meal.Too proud to ask for help from family members who were barely subsisting financially themselves, Davis and his siblings alternated between sleeping in Philadelphia homeless shelters and the back of the family's van the next few months. He and his sister sometimes went a day or two between meals, but Davis earned pocket change by getting a part-time job at a local toy store and by purchasing stolen PlayStation 3s from a neighborhood thief and selling them for a discount rate out of the trunk of the van."Three people living in the car, not knowing where your next meal is going to come from, that was absolutely rough," Davis said. "You know you have family members, but you don't want to ask for help. I'm the type of person who keeps a lot to myself and if I don't have it, I won't go out of my way to ask for it. I'll just try to get it myself."Even after Davis finally sought help and his aunt agreed to become legal guardian for him and his siblings, his childhood remained bumpy. Not only did he continue to work at the toy store to bring in money for food and clothes, life at his aunt's home was also sometimes dysfunctional enough that he'd seek refuge elsewhere for days at a time.One of the couches where Davis often slept belonged to Stan Laws, who became a mentor to Davis after coaching him in a Philadelphia youth league in middle school and again as an assistant at Strawberry Mansion High School. Laws, who says he's also an ordained minister, often provided home-cooked meals and refuge to underprivileged neighborhood kids, but he became especially close to Davis as a result of basketball."I brought him in and opened my home to him so he could have a place where he could feel love and comfort," Laws said. "Having your mom pass away is tough and without a male figure in your life, a lot of these young kids have a tendency to fall by the wayside. He had his ups and downs and battles with life, his guardian and his family, but through it all I tried to help him stay the course."It's a testament to Davis' natural basketball ability that he had the chance to play in college despite his issues.Davis blossomed into one of Pennsylvania's best prospects as a junior and senior at Strawberry Mansion, but the coaches who flocked to see him play soon learned he'd be a high-risk recruit. His grades were poor. He was 30 to 40 pounds overweight as a result of a fast food-heavy diet. And his unstable home life made him prone to anger and trust issues.Since Davis had few people to talk to about his mom's death and kept his emotions bottled up, his pent-up anger often exploded when things did not go his way on the basketball floor. Not only did he sometimes lash out at coaches or slam walls with his fists in frustration, he once chased a referee and chucked a ball at him during a game his sophomore year.None of those problems were enough to keep Tyndall from recruiting Davis.Tyndall, then the coach at Morehead State, realized the Eagles would only land a player of Davis' ability if they were willing to take risks more prestigious programs would not. It was a good fit too since Davis relished the chance to move far away from his violence-ridden neighborhood and Morehead State was one of the few schools that could admit Davis even though he'd be academically ineligible to play for at least his first year.If it seemed Tyndall had made a shrewd move when Davis averaged 22.1 points per game as a senior, earned first-team all-state honors and led Strawberry Mansion to the state title game, that changed once the shooting guard arrived at Morehead State. Tyndall and his staff required Davis to change his diet, improve his conditioning and make academics a priority, but the Philadelphia native lacked the maturity at that point to make such an abrupt lifestyle change."I kept harping on him that he had to get some weight off and get his body right, but he wasn't doing cardio on his own," Tyndall said. "On top of that, I had to keep explaining to him there was a reason he wasn't playing that year -- that he hadn't handled his business in school. He had the chance of a lifetime being back in school at Morehead, but he wasn't committed to being on time to class, going to class every day or going to tutoring. School had never been a priority in his life, and it still wasn't."Having warned Davis over and over again during the freshman's first few months at Morehead State, Tyndall decided he'd had enough. He dismissed Davis from the team after only one semester, a decision that sent the young shooting guard down a meandering path back to Division I basketball but also served as a much-needed wake-up call.In 18 months at two junior colleges, Davis began his transformation from an introverted, immature teen into a more gregarious, well-adjusted adult. He made school a higher priority, he saw a therapist to address his anger and trust problems and he slimmed down through hours of conditioning drills.The first summer that Davis worked with Philadelphia-based trainer Eric Evans a few years ago, Evans couldn't believe the effort his new client put into reshaping his body and retooling his game."We had to put trash cans in every corner of the gym because you never knew when he'd run too hard and have to vomit," Evans said. "He left it all out there and he wouldn't need a break. He'd go to the bathroom, wash off and come right back out just as hard as he was before."All the hard work nearly didn't amount to anything because Davis admits he almost quit basketballwhen a dispute over a grade in one online class caused the NCAA to rule him academically ineligible to play the 2011-12 season at Southern Miss. Eventually he changed his mind and channeled his energy into making sure his lone season of Division I ball would be worth the wait, paving the way for an improbable reunion the following spring after Southern Miss plucked Tyndall from Morehead State to replace former coach Larry Eustachy."I was probably every bit as shocked to see Dwayne during the first team meeting as he was to see me," Tyndall said. "The first thing I did was give him a high five, and tell the guys how I run the program and what I expect. I said, 'If you guys don't believe me, you can ask Dwayne Davis.' He kind of smiled like coach isn't BSing here."If it could have been an awkward situation for a player to be coached by a man who dismissed him three years earlier, Davis and Tyndall turned it into a positive. Tyndall offered a blank slate and Davis proved he had matured, working hard in the classroom and during offseason conditioning and emerging as a team leader even before he played his first game in a Southern Miss jersey.After propelling Southern Miss to a 27-win season by scoring 16.4 points per game and shooting 43.8 percent from behind the arc, Davis has continued to showcase his work ethic during NBA draft preparations. Evans has put Davis through agility drills and plyometrics training the past few months in hopes of improving his lateral quickness and athleticism in order to add another dimension to his perimeter-oriented game.If Davis hears his name called in the second round Thursday night or fights his way onto an NBA roster as a free agent this fall, his new team will not have to worry about money changing him. The hardships Davis endured growing up without a stable home have made him all the more appreciative of how far he has come the past few years.When the Chicago Bulls offered to send a limo to the airport to drive Davis to the team facility for his workout earlier this month, he told them such a lavish expense was unnecessary and he'd just take a cab. He also ordered the cheapest item on the menu -- a personal cheese pizza -- when Bulls executives took him to dinner that night."He said he knows eating out is expensive and he wanted to help save the Bulls some money," said Sam Cipriano, player relations coordinator for Edge Sports International. "Not too many kids like him out there."

Kevin Durant donates $1 Million for tornado relief.

(ESPN) MINNEAPOLIS -- Oklahoma City isn't just a place where Thunder star Kevin Durant lives these days. It's home.So as he watched the horrifying images Monday as a tornado ripped through suburban Moore, the emotions came bubbling to the surface and so did the need to help. Durant pledged $1 million for tornado relief through his foundation on Tuesday, eager to help a devastated area begin to rebuild.

"As the day went on and I saw the footage and the casualties and the houses being blown away, it was tough to see," said Durant, who was in Minneapolis to watch longtime friend Monica Wright play a preseason game for the Minnesota Lynx. "I call Oklahoma City my home. I go through Moore all the time. It's unfortunate. We're going to come together as a city like we always do and we're going to bounce back."Durant has been in Oklahoma City for five years now, ever since the Seattle SuperSonics moved there in 2008. He's become a fixture in the community, in addition to establishing himself as one of the very best players in the NBA. He said he was hoping to return home Wednesday to try and lift the spirits of an area reeling from the deaths of some two dozen people, including children."Just to get to the hospital, see some kids," Durant said. "Something. Just something to give some hope. Playing for the Thunder, we mean so much to the state. So many people support us and I just want to go back and support those people."The American Red Cross said the gift from Durant's foundation is meant to match other donations and be an incentive for more people to give. The Thunder also announced a $1 million donation, as did the NBA and players' union."Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastation that has occurred within our community this week," Thunder chairman Clay Bennett said in a statement issued by the team. "We are focusing Thunder resources to help where we can in the relief efforts and to support the organizations that are on the ground assisting those affected by this week's storms. Even with so much loss, the strength and resiliency of this community have once again been on display, and we will continue to work together as our community and state recover from this disaster."When Durant initially heard reports of a tornado near Oklahoma City, he didn't pay them much mind. A veteran of the area now, he knows twisters can be a regular occurrence this time of year. It quickly became apparent that this one was different, and Durant could barely watch it all unfold."It hit so close to home," he said. "It was tough to see."And it made the Thunder's early exit from the playoffs sting that much more. With Russell Westbrook out because of a knee injury, the Thunder were beaten by the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals, a disappointing finish for a team that advanced to the NBA Finals a year ago."I wish I could've done a better job for my team to stay in the playoffs because of course basketball and sporting events bring everyone together," Durant said. "It takes your mind off it for a few hours."The Thunder boast one of the most loyal and passionate fan bases in the league. Durant averaged 30.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the playoffs, but the rest of his teammates struggled to step up and fill Westbrook's void."There's some part of me wishing I could've played better for my team to stay in the playoffs," Durant said. "Hopefully they get back on their feet. It's so tough. Praying for the families. I'm feeling for them."

Last year we watched as Chad Johnson married Evelyn Lozada, got a Basketball Wives spin-off series, got divorced, lost the spin-off series, and was accused of being a wife-beater and deadbeat dad. Now, Johnson seems to be trying to turn his life around, as he recently proved to be a savior to one homeless man!Chad Johnson has definitely had his fair share of getting a bad rap for his relationship with Evelyn Lozada, but is the former NFL star turning his life around? Could very well be. Johnson decided to good deed this past weekend, as he befriended a homeless man who goes by the name “Porkchop.”But Johnson did not just befriend Porkchop, instead he took it a step (or two or three) further in Kardashian style, by cleaning him up, getting him some new clothes, and even taking him clubbing for the evening! And Johnson was not shy about tooting his own horn for doing so, as he posted numerous comments on Twitter, letting fans know about his good deed.Some of the Tweets included: “Spent my whole day with Robert ‘PorkChop’ he doesn’t know his last name, at Urban Outfitters, taking him to club Dream for an hour or so,” and: “Gave dude a G-shock watch I had in the car so he can tell time, we’re listening to Frankie Beverly n Maze on my iPhone living it up.”Chad Johnson also posted numerous pictures of himself hanging out with Porkchop, including some before and after shots of Porkchop sporting some new clothes and shoes.

(NBC) Former Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson stepped in to save a D.C. Boys & Girls Club scheduled to close Friday.The Bill Butler-Julius Wyatt Clubhouse, which opened in 1972, has a $250,000 deficit and needed $42,500 this week to stay open for another three months, said Paul Alagero, the Boys & Girls Club’s local chief development officer.Thompson's grandson saw News4's report Wednesday night and the legendary coach put up the money to keep the clubhouse open for the next three months.“I have a foundation that I put together for that purpose,” Thompson said. “Most of the time we try to remain anonymous in the things that we try to get done, but I think it’s significant with this to try to get other people to try to help.”Real estate developer and Boys & Girls Club board member Eddie Kaplan heard about Thompson's donation and will match it, the Boys & Girls Club said.“I think it’s important that the club stays open because it has a historical value,” Thompson said.The clubhouse at 120 M St. NW is part of the Boys & Girls Club, an organization aimed at preventing youth violence, and is just a block away from a driveby shooting that injured 13 and captured national attention last month.“There hasn’t been anything violent in this club, but still you want to close it,” one woman spoke out during a meeting on the club’s future.“If those tough decisions were not made, every site throughout the metropolitan area would be closing,” Alagero said.Thompson's son, John Thompson III, is Georgetown's current basketball coach.Follow Shomari Stone on Twitter at @shomaristone

Derrick Rose Shows His Class As He Pays For Infant’s Funeralby Ryan Heckman

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY SportsEarlier today, Jonylah Watkins, a six month old infant passed away in Chicago. The story behind it all may surprise and disgust you.Jonylah Watkins and her father Jonathan were sitting in their car in the parking lot of a grocery store yesterday. Jonathan was changing his daughter’s diaper when a vehicle drove by and opened fire on the two of them. Jonylah was struck five times while her father was injured.Her father Jonathan was said to have gang related activy going on at the time and officials suspect that the murder was “intentional” and “targeted.”Among all of the people around the community to come forward and offer their financial help and condolences, Chicago Bulls star guard Derrick Rose was one of them. Rose has immediately offered to pay for Jonylah’s entire funeral.The Chicago Bulls guard may not have been able to make his presence known on the court yet this season, but in doing things like this he is sure making up for it off the court. Rose has always been known for his humility and integrity not only as a player but as a person. This is yet another example of why Chicago is so proud to have him as a part of their city.Rose is on his way back from tearing his ACL in the first game of the 2012 NBAPlayoffs last year, and fans sure can’t wait to have him back. If his efforts outside of the practice arena are any hint as to what will come on the court when he is back, Bulls fans have a lot to be excited about.

TWO DOZEN middle-school boys who gather in Spruance School's gym at 3:30 p.m. are from surrounding Oxford Circle blocks that offer them nothing except hanging on the corner.

"If they don't have adult mentors, they start looking to their peers for guidance, and that's a scary thing," said Jared Solomon, a lawyer volunteering his time, standing at center court, letting the boys know he cares enough to bark at them before leading them on a mile run that will leave them gassed, fighting for breath."The only rule I have is that you don't stop running and you don't give up," he tells them, adding that when he started this program last winter, 50 kids came out the first day and 20 made it to the end.When they return to the basketball court after the run, Solomon says, "I saw a bunch of you walking. No one here, age of 12, 13, should be walking."Then he puts them through a marathon of pull-ups and push-ups, crawls, duck walks ("Butt down! Butt down!") and kangaroo hops across the gym floor, hearing them groan, telling them, "Yeah, I know it hurts. That's the point."The bigger point, Solomon tells them, is learning the discipline "to get you through high school into college or a good-paying job. A lot of young guys out there have no skills, nowhere to go, nothing to do. If you're going to succeed, you've got to start that process now - or, come senior year in high school, you're going to be lost."

All this happens before they touch a basketball. The next time they meet, there's a two-mile run and, finally, they start learning to dribble low and shoot a layup.Solomon's inspiration is Sonny Hill, whose youth-basketball teams have affected thousands of kids, which is ironic because Solomon's boys were run off the court by better-conditioned Sonny Hill League boys last year."We got smoked because we couldn't run," Solomon says. "These kids play video games all day. They'll learn this isn't PlayStation."Regardless of their win-loss record, Solomon's middle-schoolers are winners. "I see boys who are disrespectful and timid change into respectful, driven young men here," Solomon says. "When Terrel Cruz, now an eighth-grader, started with us, he lollygagged, lacked focus, just wanted to be one of the boys. He's matured into a fine young man who leads, urging the others to remain focused and dedicated."Solomon credits the support of Spruance Principal Betty Klear; Pam Clack, conflict-resolution specialist for the school district; and Lauren Forbes and Cheryl Malone-Gargiulo, from Max Myers Rec across the street, with being the supportive "village" it takes to help his kids rise.

Mike Farhat is quickly becoming to professional athletes what Andy Warhol was to Campbell's Soup.Farhat brings a fierce and vibrant panache to every piece, and sports stars are flocking to procure his services -- hoping to immortalize themselves in Plexiglas. Farhat's work has come to represent the modern athlete like Warhol's paintings embodied the cultural icons he depicted in the 60s and 70s. It's not "Pop Art," but it's "art that pops" with athletes.We've always relied on cameras and the photographs to capture awe-inspiring sports feats, but Farhat -- "The Athlete's Artist" - has found a way to express those emotions on a material that, to his knowledge, has never been used in this way.

"The Plexiglas almost reminds them of the backboard of the basketball hoop," Farhat says. "It was received well and then a lot of the athletes responded when I Tweeted them or Instagramed them. A lot of people think it's just a computer generated graphic but I take a lot of time in doing it by hand."Chris Paul's charisma, Kevin Durant's passion, and Kobe's "mamba" all explode off the surface in a style Farhat calls a combination of "street" and "classy."

The young Los Angeles-based artist, whose professional brand is called Art Mobb, has already been commissioned by the likes of Paul, Durant, Blake Griffin, Matt Barnes, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and George Karl, but he's now expanding into other arenas. Matt Kemp is set to be his first baseball piece and Jack Wilshere from Arsenal and England's national team (and cute as a button, Google him) will be Mike's first soccer portrait.Others lined up include Michelle Wie, Mark Cuban and Dirk Nowitzki. So is Ellen DeGeneres, who would be Art Mobb's foray into mainstream celebrity culture.Farhat says the rise has been "surreal" and he's incredibly modest, but make no mistake, the man hustled hard to reach the level he's at today. It's not like he had a ton of connections in the sports world. He used his one relationship -- a friendship with Lamar Odom's assistant -- as a launching pad for his now flourishing career.Storyboarding and animating for The Simpsons (not the worst job in the world), Mike was searching for an artistic identity outside of Matt Groening's yellow characters when the idea struck: Paint something for Odom, knock his socks off, and maybe, just maybe, something could come of it.ThePostGame brings you the most interesting sports stories on the web.Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to read them first! Odom's assistant "flipped" when Mike presented her the portrait and that reaction gave Farhat the confidence he needed.The Odom rendering shows the former Laker screaming in ecstasy after the Lakers' second championship and exemplifies Farhat's desire to ensnare and commemorate a special moment in the athlete's career.

"All of my paintings, really, are about capturing a moment in time where they've either broken records or from a memorable game that they played unreal in. It's like a time capsule -- everything about that piece is cohesive to that time," Farhat says.With a screaming Lamar Odom as his catalyst, Farhat hit the pavement and started churning out pieces. As his stock piled up, athletes started taking notice on Instagram and Twitter, and soon enough, everybody wanted one.As the popularity of Art Mobb (the gallery is located at 525 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014) began to grow, and pieces began to sell, Mike and his business partner Chris Hoyle made it their mission to give as much back to the community as possible.After doing two pieces for Matt Barnes, the Clippers swingman was blown away, and a symbiotic relationship blossomed."I was just really impressed and really appreciated it, first and foremost, and really wanted to see if there was anything we could do together, and that's when we sat down and discussed the fact that I have a foundation," Barnes says. "They really wanted to get involved and then we took off from there."Art Mobb's relationship with Barnes' foundation Athletes Versus Cancer created a model where Farhat and Hoyle team up with athletes to create art that not only emblazons the player, but also gives proceeds back to that star's charity.

Talking about their work with Athletes Versus Cancer, Hoyle explains, "We're basically taking the artwork, merchandising it, and giving a percentage directly to his charity and that's really our goal for each person that work with -- giving back as much as we possibly can."Barnes says "the sky's the limit" for his AVC's partnership with Art Mobb and clearly other athlete's feel the same.In addition to the numerous pieces Farhat is being commissioned to create, Art Mobb is in talks with Carmelo Anthony and a company called "Luggage Jacket" to create Anthony/Farhat-themed luggage covers, phone cases, tablet covers, and picture frames.As Farhat's brand continues to grow, his marketing potential is limitless. He's single-handedly created a genre and possesses a style unparalleled by any of his contemporaries.Warhol began his career as a commercial illustrator, Farhat a cartoonist. Andy took his 15 minutes of fame and made it last a lifetime. Mike Farhat is about to do the same.

As we previously reported, ABC is currently filming a new show. Once dubbed “Celebrity Diving”, the diving themed competition is now going under the name “Splash”. Joined by The Girls Next Door‘s Kendra Wilkinson, Katherine Webb, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the show pits celebrity against celebrity in diving challenges. From what we’re hearing, diving is much more dangerous than we all thought-and NFL linebacker Ndamukong Suh can prove it; he saved fellow diver, comedian Louie Anderson. Read the details below!

TMZ originally released the report that Louie Anderson had to be rescued by Ndamukong Suh and judge Greg Louganis, and they tweeted photos of the incident. It seems that Louie became incredibly exhausted while practicing his diving. He was trying to exit the pool, and was unable to lift himself up the ladder. After repeatedly falling back into the pool, he finally gave up trying, and started to sink to the bottom. Ndamukong and Greg jumped in to help pull Louie up and get him out of the water. Once he was on dry land, he coughed up water for several minutes.Although Suh has been banned from the football field, he didn’t clear his participation in the show before signing up. It seems that his coaches in the NFL aren’t worried, although it seems that they do have some concerns about his potential to win in the diving show. His NFL coach Jim Schwartz said, “I did take a couple physics courses, but there’s something about displacement of water, but it has to do with like mass and density and Ndamukong Suh’s going to displace some. Even if he goes in like those Chinese divers that don’t even make a ripple, it’s going to move a lot of water. There’ll be a tsunami somewhere because it’s just – that should be probably more ‘Celebrity Cannonballing.’ But Ndamukong’s a good athlete. He played soccer. He’s a really good athlete for a big man.”Louie resumed diving shortly after, and reps say that he’s feeling great and loving the competition.No matter where Suh places in the competition, we’re glad he was there to jump in to save Louie! Will you be watching the show? Let us know in the comments!

Brendon Ayanbadejo is not like other NFL players.The Baltimore Ravens linebacker is not just a fierce competitor on the field, he’s also an activist for an unlikely cause: gay rights.Ayanbadejo, who will appearing in his first ever Super Bowl on February 3rd, hopes to use the media spotlight from the big game to promote his position against bullying and for marriage equality.The New York Timesreports that Ayanbadejo recently emailed gay marriage advocate Brian Ellner and Michael Skolnik, the political director for Russell Simmons, and asked: “Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti- bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?”The 36-year-old father of two children (with his longtime girlfriend) calls the message his “Jerry Maguire email,” and hopes it spawns action in the same way that the Tom Cruise character sought to rally his co-workers with an earnest “mission statement.”He has been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community for years despite rampant homophobia in NFL locker rooms and resistance on the national stage as well.His persistence has seemingly paid off with polls showing Americans growing increasingly comfortable with same sex marriage and his home state of Maryland legalizing it last year.“I was raised around gay people in a very liberal society,” he told the Times in last September. “Discrimination was never allowed.”“I’ve talked to teammates,” added Ayanbadejo, who has played professional football for over a decade. “I’ve talked to people in the Ravens office. We’ve come to the conclusion that if you can play football and you’re a good person, then we don’t care what your orientation is, what your views on social issues are. If you’re a good person and a great football player, then it doesn’t matter.”

Cam Newton has done pretty well for himself despite not having a college degree from Auburn.He signed a contract worth a little more than $22 million over four years with the Carolina Panthers. He makes a ton of money in his endorsement deals, which include Under Armour and Gatorade. He had a great rookie season, came on very strong in the final two months of his second season in 2012, and will break the bank on his second contract.In short, he doesn't need a degree. Which makes his return to school an interesting story.

AL.com said Newton declined interview requests about his return to school. It has to be strange for undergrads to walk into a lecture and see a NFL superstar next to them taking notes."He wants to focus on school and be a normal student," said associate athletic director for communication Kirk Sampson told AL.com.There's no way Newton will be a "normal student" on that campus, considering his NFL fame and his instant legend status at Auburn for bringing a national championship, but that's what makes it interesting. Newton never needs to take another class in his life, but he's back on campus getting ready to write papers and take exams. That's commendable.

We never condone lying or being deceitful, but this might be an exception.With time running out in the Fiesta Bowl, walk-on receiver Dane Ebanez had not played a snap. He had played in a handful of plays in his career, but never in a bowl game. Here was a well-liked, hard-working player who put his time into practice with little payoff.Receiver Keanon Lowe came up with a plan to get his teammate onto the field for at least one bowl snap.

Dane Ebanez (GoDucks.com)The Oregonian's John Canzano, who wrote a terrific piece before the Fiesta Bowl talking about Ebanez, wrote that Lowe faked an injury as they broke the special teams huddle before the game's final kickoff. Ebanez is his backup on the kickoff coverage unit, so he went in.Ebanez got in for the kickoff, and also was in for the last play when Oregon was in victory formation."It was definitely my highlight," Ebanez said, according to The Oregonian.Canzano's piece shed light on Ebanez's college football career. He is from North Pole, Alaska, and he stands just 5-9, 180 pounds. Yet, he tried out for the Ducks' team in 2009 and made the roster as a walk-on."There was something about him from that workout in 2009. I don't know what it was, but he's a perfect example of the meritocracy of college football," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said, according to The Oregonian. "Those who work hard can make it here."The story has many Ducks players and coaches saying the same thing: Ebanez worked hard, was well liked, and had the respect of everyone on the team. But, like most walk-on players, he rarely played on Saturdays.Ebanez made sacrifices. He told Canzano he took out $70,000 in student loans as he practiced alongside many players who are on scholarship. He is on track to graduate this year.When he goes out into the real world, he can tell people he played for the Oregon football team. And he can tell them he played in a BCS bowl game, thanks to some quick thinking by one of his selfless teammates.

(Huffpost) Bulls great Scottie Pippen was always known for his versatility, but it turns out that applies to more than just Pip's on-court skills.The former #33 made his stage debut during the Friday performance of "A Christmas Carol" at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, reports the Associated Press. The NBA legend appeared with a special co-star, 7-year-old La’Ren Kimble, who enjoyed her main stage moment as a beneficiary of Make-A-Wish Illinois in the one-night-only event.According to a release from the Goodman, Kimble was diagnosed in 2007 with a Wilms' tumor, a cancer of the kidneys that typically affects children. The Goodman said the Rockford, Ill. native "loves being in the limelight and dreams about acting — whether on stage or film someday."Kimble told ABC Chicago she "loves acting" and is a fan of Pippen's. The 7-year-old reportedly had slight pre-show jitters saying she felt "scared, amazing, I don't know."The Hall of Famer, now special adviser to the team's President and COO Michael Reinsdorf, said in a statement, “I’m excited to step on a different stage of sorts, and look forward to being part of what has been a Chicago holiday tradition for so many years. I hear La’Ren is an aspiring actress, and I’ll do my best to make her and the cast of 'A Christmas Carol' proud.”The pint-sized actress and towering 6'8" basketball great both appeared in walk-on roles wearing costumes tailored specially for them.The Make-A-Wish-Illinois and Goodman partnership has previously paired children fighting life-threatening illnesses with Chicago sports stars and media personalities.

Carlos Boozer: Balling for a Cause

While some athletes are just out to make a lot of money and live the lavish life, others play for a greater cause. Carlos Boozer of the Chicago Bulls is one of those players. The Chicago Bulls all-star sat with EBONY and spoke about his Dribble to Stop Diabetes initiative, the importance of giving back to your community, and much more.EBONY: Tell me about the Dribble to Stop Diabetes program.Carlos Boozer: We’re trying to raise overall awareness – you can go to www.DribbleToStopDiabetes.com for more information. There’s an estimated seven million people that remain undiagnosed, that potentially have diabetes. There are 26 million Americans that have diabetes, and that number grows every 30 seconds. At Dribble to Stop Diabetes we’re trying to raise awareness and let people know that we can help you. Some of the symptoms include: Unusual weight loss or weight gain, fatigue, increased urination (sometimes every hour), blurred vision, and sometimes vomiting. If you have some of those symptoms, you can come to www.DribbleToStopDiabetes.comand take a risk assessment test, which will give information on how close you may be to having diabetes. Our biggest goal is to raise awareness and help those that need help.EBONY: What drives your passion for this cause?CB: My grandmother passed away from diabetes and my aunt has a continuous fight with it, now. For me, this is very close to home, which is why I partnered with the NBA about a year ago to try and raise awareness. We also have some other great partners besides the NBA -- the WNBA, the NBA Developmental League, the A.D.A. (American Diabetes Association), and SANOFI US. I’m very excited about this program and to help those in need.EBONY: You’ve been very involved in the community since you’ve entered the league. Explain the importance of giving back, as it pertains to you.CB: I’m one of those people that like to help others, especially if I can. I believe that people should get involved in the things that mean something to them. Diabetes means a great deal to me and my family, as well as sickle cell anemia. I think if any good person could help, they would. I want to leave a legacy of helping those in need.I was very proud of [Derrick] Rose, Joakim [Noah], and Taj [Gibson] for going over to the South Side of Chicago [for a basketball game that brought together rival gang members] and trying to to people know that we can be at peace and not at war with each other.EBONY: Speaking of your teammates, you guys fell short of your goals of a championship last season after D. Rose went down. Explain his importance to the team and his state of rehab.CB: It’s crucial! We feel like we have a team that’s built to be a championship contender when we’re healthy. We feel like we can beat anybody. This season we’re faced with the challenge of not having him and being the underdog on most nights, which we’re not used to. At some point in the second half of the season, we’ll get D-Rose back and I think we’ll go into the playoffs as the NBA’s most dangerous team. If we’re all healthy and clicking, we really like our chances. He’s doing great in his rehab, and kicking butt. We’ve just got to continue holding the fort down until he’s back with us.I think we’re strong at every position. We’re usually the top one or two teams in defense, each season. Offensively, without D. Rose, it can be any guy on any given night. Our goal remains the same: we wanna be NBA Champions!Steve Rivers has contributed toTheSource, ESPN Rise and a host of other online publications. Follow him on Twitter: @TheKidSkoob.

New York Giants tight end Martellus Bennett was credited with three catches for 44 yards in his team's 38-10 rout of the Green Bay Packers on "Sunday Night Football." However, it was a fourth catch Bennett made after the game, for a grand total of 15 feet, that made him a real hero.After the game, Bennett was interacting with fans near the field entrance to the Giants' locker room when a middle-aged man fell from a railing several feet above the field where the fans generally interact with the players after games."I was doing what I usually do, moseying to the locker room and meandering around," Bennett said. "Naturally, I just wanted to step back, but I did the righteous thing and I stepped up. I caught him, I saved his life, I tapped into my inner superhero, which I do have.""Spidey-senses," to be specific."I'm usually a ninja, but my Spidey-senses told me he was going to take a fall, so I saved his life," Bennett modestly recalled. "He owes me his first-born or something. Actually I don't want that. Maybe a sandwich or something."The fan might be a bit short on sandwich money -- after Bennett saved his bacon, the man was accosted by Jersey state troopers and taken away to face undisclosed charges. So, bail cash could be a pressing concern."That sucks," Bennett said.

What also sucked for Bennett was the helmet-to-helmet hit put upon his person by Packers safety Jerron McMillian in the fourth quarter."I just got the wind knocked out of me. It [ticked] me off, so I wanted to kick his [butt]," Bennett told Jenny Vrentas of NJ.com. "I was mad. I tried to go after him, but they wouldn't let me. ... I didn't see him; he came out of nowhere. But it's part of the game. If he gets fined, I just wish that money would go to my Wells Fargo account, which they should start doing. They do give it to charity, which is fine."Fortunately, a concussion test proved that Bennett was fine."I passed it with flying colors, like I do all tests. Like Doogie Howser."And that was a fortunate occurrence, as Bennett had more important work to perform after the game."I just did what any superhero would do: Saved his life," Bennett said of the postgame rescue. "I'm like Scott Summers. You know who Scott Summers is? Cyclops off X-Men."Bennett tripped over a cameraman when he saved the fan, but there were no injuries."I felt like Prince, because everybody was like, 'You OK? You OK?' And I was like, 'Yeah, I'm fine.' They were helping me up."As well they should. That's what people do for superheroes. And Doogie Howser.

The Artist: Vernon Davis

San Francisco 49er Vernon Davis grew up playing football in a tough inner city neighborhood—but he's never gotten over his early love of art

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics Point Guard, Teaches High School Algebra

(NESN.COM) Rajon Rondo is one of the smartest basketball players in the NBA, but how does he fare in an actual classroom? Pretty well, apparently. The Celtics point guard dropped by some schools on Tuesday morning to meet with kids, and he also did a little teaching of his own. At Burke High School in Dorchester, the All-Star took to the whiteboard to teach some algebra. “Teaching freshman algebra with Ms. Oshodi at Burke high school this AM. Thx for having me,” Rondo tweeted. Rondo also hung out with the kids at Harbor Middle School.

Black athletes do more than just get into trouble

By Jeffry ScottAtlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux donned an apron and chef’s hat to serve 6th, 7th and 8th graders lunch last week Bunche Middle School in Atlanta. The 6 foot 2 inch, 300 lb lineman encouraged students to partake of the new lunch menus required this year by federal nutritional guidelines, which means more vegetables and fresh fruits. “It is important for youth to intake the right foods and nutrients,” Babineaux explained. “We want to try to help our kids make the right decisions and choices as far as the foods they eat.”

Michael Vick wants to permanently stamp his name on Philadelphia - and a championship youth football team and the Hunting Park neighborhood will reap the benefits.At an afternoon ceremony Tuesday, the Eagles quarterback, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and others will hold a groundbreaking to revitalize the downtrodden football field in Hunting Park.It will now be called Team Vick Field.A $200,000 donation from the Team Vick Foundation is the final financial piece of a multimillion-dollar project, led by the conservancy and athletic organizations, to transform the park from a blighted crime haven to the centerpiece of a newly engaged neighborhood.The football field ishome to the 2004 Pop Warner champion North Philly Aztecs, but is in such bad shape that the team has to hold its home games at nearby Edison High School. Kathryn Ott Lovell, executive director of the conservancy, said she was determined to get Vick involved after hearing him speak last year to students at nearby Simon Gratz High School. "I was completely blown away by this guy," she said. "Hunting Park is his story; this is the story of second chances. This is about the redemption and rebirth of a park and an entire community."Vick said the park's potential was palpable. "That was mainly the reason why I committed to this project. I know what it's like to not have certain things," said the quarterback, who returned to pro football after his imprisonment on charges related to a dog-fighting ring. "Being able to relate to that made me more inclined to do something."Work on the park began 18 months ago. The completed portions - a shiny new baseball field courtesy of the Phillies' Ryan Howard, dual-use tennis courts sponsored in part by retired star Billie Jean King, new playgrounds, a community garden, 24-hour lighting, and a farmer's market - have already changed the neighborhood atmosphere.Jamal Bridgefourth, 34, was watching his son practice Friday night with the Aztecs. He said the park had changed "drastically" in recent years. "Used to be lots of crime, lots of prostitution," he said. "The neighborhood is changing, definitely."In the 1940s and '50s, Hunting Park was a "destination" space, said Ott Lovell. It was the site of family picnics, and childhood memories were forged on a grand carousel and bandstand. Over the succeding decades, the neighborhood and the park declined in tandem.Not long ago, Hunting Park was a dangerous place to be caught after sundown, neighbors said. Grassy berms blocked police officers' view into the park, concealing the activities of drug addicts and prostitutes. The 87-acre park had no playground - only three swings, littered with the detritus of the previous night's illicit activities.That began to change three years ago, when the Ryan Howard Family Foundation started scouting sites to build a baseball field. Hunting Park had the space and the need, but there were strings attached."Putting a baseball field here, in my words, was like lipstick on a pig," Ott Lovell said. She recalled city parks officials telling her: "You're going to have to do something really significant to lift up the whole park."Howard's donation kick-started what became a comprehensive revitalization project. The conservancy held community meetings to draft a master plan. Millions of dollars flowed in from former Eagles player Ron Jaworski, the Eagles, local car dealers, and others to supplement city funds.First, a playground was built and a weekly farmer's market was organzied. Then came the ball field. Then a community garden. Then another playground and 24-hour lighting around the perimeter. It tripled the park's energy bill, Ott Lovell said, "but you can't put a price on safety."When it came time to repave the tennis courts, the conservancy called King. Through her foundation, King donated $50,000 for tennis programming, and the conservancy painted half of the courts red, white, and blue to match her tennis franchise, the Philadelphia Freedoms.Meanwhile, 400 young football players were still practicing on a soggy, pockmarked field.The Aztecs have been based at Hunting Park for 19 years, but they've never been able to play games on their own field because the turf is so bad. During practice, the players and coaches have to work around it."They have ditches and there's some grass and some dirt. It messes me up sometimes," said Daquane Williams, 12. Players also have to pick their way around rocks and bottles. "When we crawl on the ground, you can get cut on your knee or something like that."The field sits below ground level, atop an old swimming hole. When it rains, the field turns into a mud pit.After the $1 million overhaul, Team Vick Field will be level, with a modern drainage system. It will have bleachers, goalposts, a scoreboard and a new track.The team hopes to have its first true home games on the new field next year.Looking forward, the conservancy plans to revamp the concession building and turn it into a healthy-foods market. Bike paths, more ornamental landscaping, picnic tables, a renovated bandstand, and a new recreation center are also planned. Michael DiBerardinis, deputy mayor for environmental and community resources, is optimistic that the transformation will continue now that the community has taken responsibility for the park."There's real data that the improved park that's heavily used is safer, and the areas around it are safer," DiBerardinis said. "Then there's the harder-to-define lift that a place like this gives a neighborhood. People are working together, getting to know one another, feeling more engaged in their community and more willing to give and volunteer. There are a number of things that I think I know in my soul. . . . I know it's real, I know it happens."Ott Lovell agreed. "I think it started as open space, it started with a new baseball field," she said. But now, she said, they are testing a larger theory: "If you change the physical environment, and introduce some really critical programs, can you change a community? Can you make it better? Can parks catalyze social change in neighborhoods? We think it can, and we think it's happening right here in North Philadelphia.

Derrick Rose breaks down in tears at a shoe company product launch as he discusses his rehabilitation By Kelly Dwyer | Ball Don't Lie

Rose torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee following a jump stop late in his Chicago Bulls' Game 1 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the last April's postseason. The torn ACL knocked him out for the rest of the playoffs and more than likely half of the upcoming 2012-13 season, a cruel blow to a Bulls team that had either earned or tied for the best record in the NBA over the last two seasons, and for a brilliant player in Rose that followed up an MVP turn in 2010-11 with a gutty and injury-plagued 2011-12 campaign.Due to the timing of Rose's injury and various payroll vicissitudes that his team was working through, the Bulls embarked on an uneasy rebuilding process of sorts in order to avoid paying the luxury tax (despite the franchise's standing as one of the more profitable teams in the NBA) following the end of Rose's season.Because Rose won't return until the second half of 2012-13, and likely won't be at full strength until the 2013-14 season sparks up, the team took a hammer to the fabled reserve unit that kept Chicago afloat these last two seasons; a partially-understandable maneuver had the team executed it properly.Because of a slip-up in signing Rose's replacement in Kirk Hinrich, the team may have cost itself morefinancial heartache, and it will have to wait until pro-rated contracts set in three months from now in order to add to its dwindling depth without breaking various salary cap rules.None of this was likely on Derrick's mind as he watched his rehab video. Here is the transcript that followed the shoe company rep's tactful but uneasy initial question to D-Rose:"It's truly a blessing. With all of the stuff that's going on in this city, a kid fromEnglewood has got something positive going on. That makes me feel so good. This shoe is great; all this is great. But I can't explain this. I can't. I went through so much. To have, like, true fans, that means a lot to me. And I know it means a lot to my family, because we're not supposed to be here -- at all. But God made the way."It's a difficult watch, especially for Bulls fans that still have a hard time taking in the video of Rose's injury from last April, and the painful rebuilding (plenty of core work, Derrick points out) that followed. Rehabilitation that will continue to go on through the autumn and winter. Rose has come far, to be sure, but he still has months — possibly over a year — to go until he'll be back to the sort of player that had the confidence and ability to initiate that jump stop against the 76ers last spring. ACL tears are that significant.Baby steps, and grown man tears. Strong stuff, throughout.

(fayobserver.com) Former North Carolina football and basketball player Julius Peppers has donated $250,000 to the Light on the Hill Society Scholarship fund that supports African-American students.

Peppers previously donated $100,000 in 2009 to the fund, which is a tribute to UNC's earliest African-American graduates and a vehicle for alumni and friends to support African-American first-year students who exhibit academic excellence and the potential to contribute while at UNC and after graduation.

The Light on the Hill Society Julius Peppers Scholar receives an annual $1,000 award, renewable for up to three years. Other Light on the Hill Society Scholars receive a one-time award of $1,000.

In a statement issued Saturday by Peppers, he touched on the controversy surrounding the public posting of his UNC transcript on the school's official website and also thanked university academic and athletic staff members for their help and guidance, saying he was “thinking of ways that I can use my experiences and resources” to help support students early in their college career.

“After considering the ways that I might be able to help young college students, I decided to continue my support of the Light on the Hill scholarship,” Peppers said Monday. “I would like to endorse this particular fund and encourage other former UNC students who have found success to reach back and assist the efforts of current and future Tar Heels.”

The Light on the Hill Society scholarship effort began during the 2005 Black Alumni Reunion. Organizers challenged alumni to contribute $1,952 each – representing the 1952 class year of Harvey E. Beech, UNC’s first African-American graduate – to become founding members of the scholarship fund. As the fund has grown, so has the number of scholarships. Since inception, the program has awarded 26 scholarships: 22 Light on the Hill Society Scholars and four Julius Peppers Scholars.

“This gift is indicative of the kind of man Julius Peppers has become,” said Richard “Stick” Williams, chair of the Light on the Hill Society board. “I am very proud that he credits his experiences at Chapel Hill for helping to shape him. He has really thought deeply about his life, opportunities taken, opportunities lost, his legacy. With this generous gift he wants to help young people make good decisions during their college years.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Kevin Durant is going from representing the red, white and blue to walking the red carpet.Adding to a resume that already includes being a three-time NBA scoring champion and Olympic gold medalist, Durant was the star as his movie ''Thunderstruck'' premiered in Oklahoma City's Bricktown entertainment district Sunday night. It opens in other theaters Friday.Durant strolled down a red carpet in a black T-shirt, grey vest, white jeans and black sneakers to answer questions about his acting skills instead of the deadly shooting ability that propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals last season.''Of course, people are going to look at it a little different because I'm a basketball player and I'm doing something different,'' Durant said. ''A basketball player is what I do. It's not really just solely who I am. I like to do other things.''It's all about conquering your fears. That's one thing I did with this, stepping in front of a camera and people yelling 'Action!' It's not the norm for me. I did something outside the box, and I'm glad it turned out pretty well.''Durant was getting his first chance to see the completed project, which was shot in Louisiana during the NBA lockout last year and then during the season in Oklahoma City in January.It also features Nickelodeon star Taylor Gray, Brandon T. Jackson from ''Big Momma's House'' and Jim Belushi. Gray plays a Thunder fan whose lack of basketball ability is magically switched with Durant's All-Star skill set.''I'm just blessed. I'm just blessed to be alive, first of all. Blessed to be here, to have this opportunity,'' Durant said.''Not too many people can say they starred in a movie as a basketball player, with a lot of different things they're juggling, but I'm glad I did it.''The folks at Warner Bros. might not have been able to pick a better time to put out a movie starring Durant, exactly one week after he won Olympic gold as Team USA's leading scorer and a little over a month after he played against LeBron James' Miami Heat for the NBA title.The family comedy follows in the footsteps of other movies with NBA superstars as the headliners, including ''Space Jam'' starring Michael Jordan and ''Kazaam'' with Shaquille O'Neal.''When a guy goes over and hugs his mom after the game, that's a guy that people are going to like and that's what you need in a movie,'' director John Whitesell said. ''You need a guy, a star, who people are going to want to relate to or are going to care about.''You want people to care that Kevin can't shoot. If LeBron can't shoot, I don't care. I'm happy. But if Kevin can't shoot, I'm sad.''Whitesell said Durant might have been caught off guard by the days he had to be on set and in front of the camera for 12 hours, when his previous experience was with much briefer commercial shoots.The first day, he had Durant bounce a ball in a gym and worked toward getting him comfortable in his own shoes - because he plays himself in the movie.''I wanted to create an atmosphere for him that he felt comfortable and confident in, so that he could grow into it as we went, and I think that went really well,'' said Whitesell, who remembered his only other experience filming athletes coming on a cameo appearance by Patrick Ewing and Mark Jackson on the short-lived NBC show ''Tattingers.''Gray said he played varsity basketball as a junior in high school, but then left to start shooting TV shows. He walks away with an unforgettable memory from playing one-on-one against Durant.''It's like, to this day, my biggest accomplishment in basketball. He was really guarding me and had blocked like the last three shots and I was just running around throwing up hook shots and anything I could, and one fell in,'' said Gray, who hopes the film will help him land roles in future movies.Durant has said he doesn't see himself doing any more feature-length movies because of the demands on his time. Whitesell put it this way: He doesn't think Durant will do another movie at least until he wins a championship.''This is a guy who everybody wants a piece of him right now and he's got a lot on his plate. But I know from when we were there what he cares about. He cares about basketball,'' Whitesell said. ''He wants to win a championship, he wants to do the best he can possibly do at that and he's just blossoming.''Already, Durant has accomplished one goal by winning gold in London alongside James, Kobe Bryantand other NBA stars. He said he didn't get much ribbing about being a movie star, although a couple of his Olympic teammates did ask about it.He planned to send a text message to them all after getting to see the movie for the first time.''Hopefully they'll take their kids to see it, and hopefully they enjoy it,'' Durant said. ''Those guys, man, they're unbelievable. They support everything. Those guys are really good teammates. I was blessed that I got that opportunity to be around such great players but such humble guys as well.''

Even while locked up in the Clark County Detention Center, serving an 87-day jail sentence for domestic battery, Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to receive accolades.Wednesday, the five-division world champ was voted Fighter of the Year by the fans at ESPN's sports awards show, The ESPYs. Mayweather would defeat Andre Ward and Manny Pacquiao, as well as MMA stars, Anderson Silva and Jon Jones for the honor. Mayweather has now won four ESPY awards in the last six years with Manny Pacquiao taking the Fighter of the Year honors in the two years Mayweather didn't win.Writing from his official Twitter account, Mayweather (or somebody from his team) issued the following statement:"I am very grateful for my fans and all of the continued support. Your letters and pictures are helping my time go by. Thank you to all the fans who voted and helped me win at tonight's #ESPYs."Your continued support is appreciated. Congratulations to all the other nominees. You guys are GREAT fighters."The ESPN award comes just a couple of weeks after the incarcerated WBA junior middleweight champ was acknowledged as the highest paid athlete in sports by Forbes Magazine with a two-fight income of $85 million.Seeing that the ESPYs are a fan-driven awards show, it's hard to dispute the results. After all, it's only opinion. But, given that the voting should've been based solely on the 2011 calendar year, Mayweather definitely did not deserve the Fighter of the Year designation after just one bout-- A controversial KO 4 victory over Victor Ortiz.In a fair vote conducted among informed fans, Andre Ward should've received the honor with dominant victories over Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham in his final two bouts of the Super Six tournament. But, again, the ESPYs are generally just a popularity poll, so the biggest name is usually the one that draws the most voting attention.Of course, this could also be seen as a moral victory for Team Mayweather in the never ending Mayweather-Pacquiao virtual dispute. Pacquiao had two wins in 2011, over Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez, but still lost out to Mayweather and his abbreviated four round outing.

Since winning his first championship on Thursday night, LeBron James has already undergone quite the image rehabilitation, going from (in the popular opinion, at least) a great player with lacking performances in key moments to someone who can dominate in crunch time when necessary. LeBron, for his part, has taken to the role well, saying all the right things in public and generally acting like an affable, friendly guy.For proof, check out the photo above. While at a Miami hotel for an interview, James — who's engaged, as well — happened upon the wedding of Shaun and Jamie Kolnick. He ended up giving them a moment they'll likely display in their home for years. Janie Campbell of The Huffington Post has the story:The NBA champion of all of two days happened to be meeting a Sports Illustrated reporter at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove just before Kolnick tied the knot on the property, and the Miami native and new husband Shaun were able to snag the pre-wedding snap of a lifetime -- never mind that eager onlookers uploaded cell phone photos of the bride to Facebook before she'd even walked down the aisle."I was like, 'Who cares? It's a photo with LeBron!' It was really unexpected and exciting," said Kolnick. "Shaun was like, 'That's enough! We don't need to get married anymore.'"Buzz had begun building hours before the ceremony that James was at the Ritz, said wedding planner Jen Schwartz of Anje Soirees, but no one was sure they'd actually spot the city's new hero."It was funny, because the bride's brother was just dying, he was beside himself with excitement," Schwartz said, laughing. "And at some point, she looked at him and said, 'Okay, you're more excited that LeBron James is here than you are for my wedding!'"As the best man in my brother's October wedding and a big (and cynical) Warriors fan, I can say with some certainty that I would not be more excited to see Klay Thompson before the ceremony than I'd be for the wedding itself. I guess some people just don't have their priorities straight.In all honesty, what LeBron did here was pretty minor — my guess is it took him less than a minute to take the photo, shake some hands, and move on with his day. Nevertheless, it was a nice gesture and the sort of thing that will only make him look better. Who knows, maybe he'll even start randomly kissing babies and handing out free sandwich coupons for Quizno's. That's what politicians do these days, right?For the Kolnicks' sake, I hope LeBron doesn't see his image take another hit in the future. Otherwise they'll just have a photo of themselves with a big fat jerk. I'm no expert, but I think that's the kind of thing that forces couples into therapy.

Jimmy Rollins is at the White House Thursday afternoon to join Vice President Joe Biden in launching a new PSA about dating violence and sexual assault.The Phillies shortstop was filmed for the spot at Citizens Bank Park earlier this month and we’re told is one of five pro athletes to be featured in the ad along with Biden and President Obama.Rollins will speak at Thursday’s White House press announcement of the commercial about why he chose to get involved in the ad the White House says is targeted at reducing violence against women and specifically young women aged 16-24.The spot should begin airing soon on TV and online.

Young Brandon Jacobs fan gets his $3.36 back, plus bounce house time with his hero

Remember the adorable little Giants fan named Joe who sent the contents of his piggy bank to Brandon Jacobs because "money" was the reason that Jacobs had to leave the Giants? The young fellow got his money back this week, hand-delivered by Jacobs, along with a signed Giants helmet and a bouncy, memorable afternoon with his favorite football player.Jacobs told Matt Barrow of the Sacramento Bee that he and his son took Joe and his brother out to a bounce house for the afternoon and had a blast."It was just us in the whole place and we were just going room to room - just bouncing and flipping all over the place, hitting each other with balls, sweating, our shirts filthy. We were just dirty, stinky boys, you know?"Added Joe's mom, Julie:"He told me he really wanted to get out there with the kids. He really wanted to enjoy it, and he did. It was amazing."I love a story that ends with warm fuzzies all around. It was a sweet act by the child to send Jacobs his piggy bank money, and it was sweet of Jacobs to make sure the little guy knew that the gesture was appreciated. Jacobs is even pulling inspiration from the whole thing to get him motivated for the season."I'm at a point in my career when people have stopped believing in me and not believing that I can still play. But that's not the case. Joe believes in me, gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of want-to. And I'm ready to go. I can't wait until the season starts."Well, if karma exists in that bounce house, Jacobs hopefully picked up enough today to improve on the 571 yards and 3.8 per carry he averaged last season. He won't get to do it in New York, like Joe wanted, but now maybe Joe can put his $3.36 towards the Sunday Ticket package and watch his hero in San Francisco.

Raheem Brock's 6th Annual Charity Weekend

Event: Raheem Brock's 6th Annual Charity Weekend

Date: June 8, 2012-June 10, 2012

Location: Philadelphia, PA

RAHEEM BROCK'S 6TH ANNUAL CHARITY WEEKEND

Raheem Brock, a graduate of Temple University, Super Bowl XLI Champion, and Defensive Tackle of the Seattle Seahawks, will be hosting his 6th Annual Charity Weekend and birthday celebration, June 8-10, 2012 in Philadelphia. In addition to having an impressive career on the field, it is what Brock does off the field that makes this NFL star a celebrity. A testament to greatness, Brock is a rare combination of what all athletes strive to have: athletic dexterity, and insurmountable generosity. "I had a lot of people that helped me out. That's why I felt as though I had to give back to the community. My goal is to help kids in the inner city in any way that I can; especially my high-school and different kids groups." The "Raheem Brock 6th Annual Charity Weekend" will be a celebration to bring his NFL and celebrity friends, family, and the city of Philadelphia together to support the mission of the Raheem Brock Foundation while gathering for an eventful celebratory weekend.

Brock, a Philadelphia native, is consistently finding ways to give back to his hometown. He is very passionate about providing inner city children with the proper materials to succeed.

The goal of The Raheem Brock Foundation, is to support youths who are underprivileged, or from distressed areas, in realizing their full potential by encouraging them in all their endeavors. Brock strives to expose children to a variety of programming focused on social, athletic, and most importantly academic development. These programs teach children the value of education, especially literacy, healthy lifestyles, athletics, and giving back to their community. Proceeds received from this weekend of fun and celebration will benefit the Foundation and are tax deductible. Raheem Brock's 6th Annual Charity Weekend will include:

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2012

Raheem Brock will be participating in a discussion panel at Dobbins High School, Brock's Alma mater, to speak with students about achieving their future goals by focusing on social, athletic, and most importantly academic development.

Brock will end the day's events by visiting Shriners Hospitals For Children in Philadelphia

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

Brock will be hosting a scholarship brunch at Dobbins High School, where he will be presenting scholarships' to this year's recipients.

10:30PM to 2:00AM- Raheem Brock's 6th Annual Celebrity Gemini Gala, hosted by Lance Gross, will be held at The Chart House in Philadelphia.

SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2012

Raheem and friends will be visiting Steve Addazio's Football Camp to speak with the players. The camp is held at Edberg Olson Hall/Chodoff Field, 1001 W. Diamond St. Philadelphia, PA 19122

HENAGAR, Ala. - Pedaling past tornado-tossed homes and broken trees, Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson and about 100 bicyclists started a five-day, 300-mile bike trek across north Alabama on Tuesday to raise money for storm relief in the state.

The ride — dubbed "Bo Bikes Bama" — will pass through some of the communities hit hardest by more than 60 twisters that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses and killed about 250 people last April 27. It coincides with a week of observances of the anniversary of the devastating onslaught.

The ride will include several celebrities, including former Major League Baseball player Ken Griffey Jr., seven-time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong, NBA star Scottie Pippen and downhill skier Picabo Street.

"They say there's a couple of areas we're gonna pass through that look somebody took a weed whacker and just took out a hundred yards or so," said Griffey, who has never seen tornado destruction up close.

A crowd of about 200 people cheered "Go Bo, Go," as the ride began in tiny Henagar, located in northeast Alabama's DeKalb County, where more than 30 people were killed. Before going to the starting line, Jackson met privately with 11-year-old Bryce Ferguson, whose parents and little sister Emma were among the dead.

"Everybody asks me why I decided to do this ride. It's because of people like Bryce," Jackson said. "He lost everything, but he is standing tall. He is going on with his life, and he's got people in his life that care about him and are loving him."

Jackson rode a specially made bike painted orange and blue, the colours of his alma mater, Auburn University. It also bears the name of every person who died in the twisters.

The storms left a path of destruction that, all put together, stretched 1,000 miles long and 20 miles wide. The ride ends Saturday in Tuscaloosa, where more than 50 deaths were blamed on a tornado.

Riders got a glimpse of the way twisters hop-scotched across the state a year ago, passing from unaffected neighbourhoods into zones that looked like logging crews had cut down every tree and left bare, scarred dirt.

The group passed a splintered green house that doesn't appear to have been touched since the twister yanked it from its foundation; riders pedaled past the roofless remains of a country store. Speeding down a hill, riders came within yards of an old yellow milk truck that has been buried in a hillside to serve as a tornado shelter.

Jackson, who grew up near Birmingham in Bessemer but now lives in Illinois, said he hopes to raise $1 million for the governor's relief fund and increase awareness about the continuing problems caused by the twisters. Gov. Robert Bentley said the state still has some $140 million in unmet needs.

Organizers will auction off five different bicycles Jackson plans to ride during the event, and individuals can ride along for a donation of $200.

Bicyclist John Maples, who rode with two friends on the first leg, said the region needs a boost like "Bo Bikes Bama."

"It means a lot to me. We had a lot of people affected," said Maples. "It's great. It's appreciated."

Shannon Pruett, a fan of Auburn, where Jackson won the Heisman in 1985, kept her three children out of school to stand along the roadside and cheer the riders as they passed a road still lined with tornado debris and twisted, splintered trees.

"I told my husband this isn't going to happen again, they needed to see it," said Pruett.

Ochocinco Treats Fans At Harlem Restaurant

Chad Ochocinco never dines alone.

He doesn't have to when he has so many potential companions around the country. In New York City on Monday, the Patriots wide receiver reached out to his more than 3,000,000 followers seeing if anyone wanted to join him for dinner.

He tweeted: "Dinner in NY tonight --> 1st 200 people at Sylvia's Restaurant by 7 pm in Harlem. Leave ya money/credit cards at home. I got you this time."

Despite being in Jets territory, people flocked to the soul food institution. According to the restaurant, they had to turn away about 50 people. Everyone inside got to chow down on some of Sylvia Woods' comfort food classics. She's known for her World Famous Talked About Bar-B-Que Ribs and Down Home Fried Chicken, with southern sides like collard greens and candied yams also not to be missed. The restaurant has been a Harlem landmark since it opened in 1962.The only thing better than a meal by the "Queen of Soul Food" is having it on Ochocinco's dime. According to TMZ, the total bill for all 200 fans was $7,914. Seems a bit steep at a restaurant where the average entrée is $15, but maybe the wide receiver is a big tipper. It's certainly not the first time he's treated his followers to a night out. Ochocinco often takes his Twitter fans to movies, and two years ago took 85 people to a Cleveland steak house.

The icing on the cake Monday night was Chad giving his new cell number to all his new "family members."Although on Tuesday afternoon, he was upset more people hadn't actually used it. He went to his Twitter account to let them know: "I gave 200 people my number and only 13 people have texted me. That's rhino drpppings!!! I gave you my number to use it [expletive], let's go."

That is rhino droppings. If you were one of the lucky few who dined with Ochocinco at Sylvia's, the least you could do is drop him a thank you text.

With the boxing world still mourning the death of one of the greatest fighters of all time, a future hall-of-famer has stepped up and offered to relieve the family of any financial obligation to his funeral.Unbeaten Floyd Mayweather hit Twitter late last night to send his condolences to the family of the late, great Joe Frazier while offering to pay for the fallen heavyweight’s funeral services.“My condolences go out to the family of the late great Joe Frazier,” Mayweather said via Twitter. “#TheMoneyTeam will pay for his Funeral services.”This isn’t the first time that Mayweather has stepped up and helped to pay for a fellow fallen fighter’s funeral services. Earlier this year Mayweather paid for the funeral of one-time opponent and the man that Mayweather won his first world title against, Genaro Hernandez.Other fighter’s have also released statements mourning the loss of the former heavyweight champion who may be best known for his thrilling trilogy with Muhammad Ali.“My reaction was I expected it to come, but the denial of it coming is something that people that know Joe and have been around him tried to block out. It was not shocking, because I knew he had been sick for a while, but now it is real and he is really not here with us anymore,” Bernard Hopkins said. “Ali and Joe Frazier’s rivalry is the king of all rivalries. You cannot mention Ali’s name without Frazier, and you cannot mention Frazier without Ali. Their three fights were the three most exciting fights of the century. Joe is a person who will never be imitated or emulated. His legacy in boxing will never be duplicated, especially during his era. There will be only one Smokin’ Joe Frazier.”“Good night Joe Frazier. I love you dear friend,” tweeted George Foreman. Foreman has handed Frazier two of his four losses with the other two coming from Muhammad Ali.“The world has lost a great champion,” said Ali via statement. “I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration. My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones.”“I will miss you my friend. R.I.P. Joe Frazier,” said Oscar De La Hoya.“Today is a sad yet remarkable day as we mourn the death of boxing legend Joe Frazier & honor him by celebrating his amazing accomplishments,” tweeted Mike Tyson, arguably the last man who brought mainstream attention to the heavyweight division after Ali and Frazier retired.Frazier lost his battle with liver cancer at the age of 67.

Detroit Lions defender Ndamukong Suh comes in at No. 6 with $2,600,000 donated to his former University of Nebraska for both the athletic department and to start a scholarship.

Many people think that shouldn't count as charity because it’s giving more money to a major institution, but he is helping his alumni like no other college football player turned pro ever has.

Yes, it’s true that Suh has taken over the James Harrison role as dirtiest player in the NFL, but he is out there battling and sometimes emotions get the better of people. Judging from the fact that he has donated over $2.5 million in 2011, he lets his emotions lead him in many ways.

That’s what you want from a leader, though. The Detroit Lions have been a welcome mat for the NFL over the last few years, but Suh isn’t allowing that anymore. If he gets in trouble for playing too hard, as a coach I would rather defend that than defend a player who isn’t working hard enough.

With Detroit trying to show they are going to be contenders for a long time to come, it starts in the trenches and that’s where Suh creates havoc.

But that’s on the field. Suh may be a madman between the lines, but he is more than a gentleman off the field. Suh has been a huge part of many of the charitable events the Lions organize, but he also does much charity on his own.

During the holiday season, it is great to see that these athletes are much more than just normal people. They are extremely generous, and while many don’t donate, those that do make the whole group of players look very admirable.

For many, a trip to prison is nothing more than time lost. But one NFL star discovered a great hobby while locked up.

Plaxico Burress spent 20 months in jail for accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a Manhattan nightclub. But the star receiver spent much of that time reading.

It's a habit that has stuck with him in the months since his release.

"It was one of those deals that kind of grew on me," Burress told Newsday. "Ever since I went to prison and in my spare time, I try to read as much as I can. Having a lot of time, I found something that became something I love to do. And that's gather information through reading, expanding my knowledge. I never would have known that if I didn't go through what I went through."

"If it wasn't for him going through what he went through and coming back, maybe I wouldn't have gotten that chance," Burress said.

Vick and Burress talk about once a week; while Plaxico was in jail, the Eagles quarterback spoke to his family often.

As for the reading habit, Plaxico has his a certain type of written word he enjoys most. "I read autobiographies, self-improvement, a few novels," he said. "It's really just trying to gain knowledge and wisdom through other people's crises and overcoming tragedy."

Burress says in addition to his playbook and self-help books, he tries to read the Bible every day.

Plaxico Burress' Reading List:

• "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.

• "Uncommon" by former Colts coach Tony Dungy.

• "Freedom," by Jonathan Franzen

• "The Autobiography of Malcolm X''

• "The Blind Side," by Michael Lewis

• "The Alchemist," by Paul Coelho

• "The Alchemyst," by Michael Scott.

• "The 50th Law" by 50 Cent and Robert Greene

• "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield

Burress has asked his 136,000-plus followers for suggestions on a good book to read. You can pass your tips to Plaxico on his Twitter page @Plaxico.

Harford school board rejects $20,000 donation from pro football brothers for new Aberdeen H.S. scoreboard

BY MARISSA GALL

The Harford County Board of Education rejected a $20,000 donation from pro football players E.J. and Erin Henderson to help purchase a new electronic scoreboard at Aberdeen High School.

In not accepting the gift, the board members cited their concerns about the ambiguity of the school system's policy of naming facilities after people or corporations.

The brothers, who are both Aberdeen High graduates and linebackers for the Minnesota Vikings, offered $20,000 on the condition that the school's stadium would be named "Henderson Field" and that the family's name is on the scoreboard.

Superintendent Robert Tomback had recommended the board approve the Hendersons' request and for the school system to "procure and install an electronic scoreboard for the amount of $52,555," according to a school document.

Board member Robert Frisch asked at the beginning of the meeting to remove the item from the official agenda, citing concerns with the policy of naming sport facilities.

The board's narrow decision not to accept the donation came on the same night the Hendersons' team, the Vikings, lost their nationally televised game against the Green Bay Packers, 45-7.

Frisch asked the board's lawyer, Patrick Spicer, how a decision on the gift could be made in light of the current policy.

Spicer said the policy "specifically does not include athletic facilities." Because of this, he referred to the policy regarding advertising, which states a permanent advertisement, such as naming a facility after a family or corporation, could be approved by the board if they feel it's consistent with its mission and has approval from the superintendent.

Frisch asked Spicer if the family would still be willing make the donation if the field and scoreboard didn't carry the Henderson name, to which he replied, "no."

Frisch then brought up Erin Henderson's suspension for four games in December 2009 for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. According to a Jan. 21, 2010 Baltimore Sun article, Henderson didn't say which specific drug he was suspended for, but said he "didn't do anything wrong," blaming his positive test results on a prescription he had been taking.

Board President Leonard Wheeler, who lives in Aberdeen, told Frisch to "stay with the facts" and "not make allegations" against the Hendersons.

"I'm not comfortable, in essence, selling the naming rights," Frisch said, adding he believes the family should make the donation without having the field named after them.

"What does this leave open in the future," board member Ronald Browning asked, when it comes to accepting other donations with the condition of giving the family naming rights.

Spicer replied that this type of situation isn't new and there are scoreboards in county schools with the names of beverage companies on them. He said the ultimate decision at the board's discretion.

"I think that's a slippery slope," board member James Thornton said.

Cornell Brown, assistant superintendent for operations, clarified that corporate sponsors would be obtained to help pay for the remainder of the scoreboard, $32,555.

The Hendersons, however, would be responsible for the board's electrical and technical work, he said. The school's booster club, or some other organization, would raise money to pay for the balance.

Brown also mentioned that no other scoreboards have been named for a former athlete.

Board member Nancy Reynolds asked if the school system would be responsible for all future maintenance of the scoreboard, and Brown replied, "That's my understanding."

Frisch said the situation is one of consistency. He brought up a past instance in which there was an attempt to name the field at Fallston High School after a former captain of the football team, Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Ryan Adle, who was killed in action in Iraq. A previous board turned down the proposal.

"We won't name a field after him [Lance Cpl. Adle], but for $20,000 we'll name a field after someone else?" he asked.

Board Vice President Rick Grambo said it wasn't the board's job to pass judgment on someone who wants to donate money and if the school wants to accept the donation, they should.

"Where do we draw the line?" Frisch replied, again bringing up the Fallston situation. "In absence of a clearly defined policy, then maybe we ought to table this issue for a bit."

Board member Cassandra Beverley asked if the board needed to decide that night; however, Brown said the Hendersons and a company in charge of the scoreboard's installation had already been working with the school and were notified that the superintendent approved the naming rights for the field.

Money has already been exchanged, Brown said, and both the family and company are waiting for the board's approval to move forward. Fundraising has also begun, he said, but if the board didn't approve the decision, the money would be returned.

"Don't we have problems in funding these things?" Browning asked.

At that point, the board voted 5-4 not to accept the Hendersons' offer, with Joseph Hau, Beverley, Frisch, Reynolds and Thornton voting to reject the offer, and Alysson Krchnavy, Browning, Grambo and Wheeler voting to accept it. Student representative also voted against taking the donation, though his vote does not count since he doesn't have voting power.

Ron Artest to donate money earned on 'Dancing With the Stars' to cancer research

Concerns over his poor dance moves and mobility quickly evaporated for Ron Artest as soon as he talked with his 8-year-old daughter Diamond.

She's the only one who the Lakers forward said could convince him to appear on "Dancing With the Stars."

"She said, 'Daddy, you can do it,' " Artest recalled Monday in a phone interview. "It's going to be fun."

It wasn't just a case of Artest being unable to say no to his daughter. At age 4 in 2007, Diamond was diagnosed with wilms tumor, Artest said, a kidney cancer that affects children. So in honor of his daughter successfully fighting the illness, Artest said he plans to donate the money he earns on "Dancing with the Stars" to the Cancer Research Foundation.

That will include the $125,000 Artest said he's making for appearing on the show beginning Sept. 19 and any additional money he earns should he advance in each round.

"That's the only reason I'm doing it," Artest said. "I'm doing it for a cause."

Artest's decision to join the show deviates from comments he made last season and this off-season. In March, Artest said he'd want to lose in the first round because "I don't want to put my hips in a situation where I'm looking like Rick Fox." Only a month ago after a stand-up comedy appearance, Artest said, "I play defense. I don't know if I dance." And late Sunday evening his publicist, Courtney Barnes, appeared amused in a series of text messages when asked whether Artest would join the show. Said Barnes: "He can't dance."

That's why Artest said he and his unnamed partner have begun taking lessons and he plans to consult boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., who lasted four rounds in 2007 during the show's fifth season.

"I'm doing the Cha-cha-cha my first week," Artest said. "We're going to get past [the first round]. I want to work hard and see where it takes me. I don't know how far I'm going to go, but I'm going to try."

LeBron James helps launch Sheets energy strips

When Miami Heat super star LeBron James needs a boost to get through the second half of a big basketball game, gulping an energy drink isn’t the ideal solution. These drinks typically mean bloating, extra calories and sugar.

James and his partners at Purebrands of Boca Raton think they have come up with a “new way to do energy.” It’s called Sheets energy strips.

Place a thin sheet – similar to a Listerine strip – on your tongue and watch it dissolve within minutes. No water necessary. Each sheet has 50 mg of caffeine, along with vitamins B5, B6, B12 and Biotin. A sheet has no sugar or calories.

“The energy category is hot,” said Warren Struhl, CEO of Purebrands, a privately-held company. “We were looking at all kinds of ways to reinvent energy. We don’t want to do anything that had been done before. We were looking for a better mousetrap.”

Sheets aims to capitalize on the success of the energy drink market. It’s the fastest growing beverage category in the U.S. and had been growing at double digits until 2009, when sales flattened during the recession as consumers cut back on premium products, said John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest. The U.S. energy drink market is about $7.7 billion, according to Beverage Digest. The market grew 9 percent in 2010 and is on track to return to double digit growth this year, Sicher said.

“Consumers like the jolt of energy and the immediate gratification you get from drinking an energy drink,” Sicher said. “That payoff is what makes them very popular. Sheets is an interesting offshoot. The advantage is that if you’re a truck driver drinking a 16-ounce energy drink, you’re going to need to make a pit stop. With Sheets you won’t have to do that.”

The Sheets team includes James and his business partner, manager and advisor, Maverick Carter. They got involved with Struhl through friend Jesse Itzler, the former owner of Marquis Jet Partners and Alphabet City Records. Itzler brought Struhl into the mix because of his experience with consumer product companies. Struhl founded PaperDirect and has launched or invested in more than 30 companies, including Dale and Thomas Popcorn, which makes the Popcorn Indiana brand.

Other celebrities are minority partners ranging from recording artist Pitbull to tennis player Serena Williams.

With help from physicians and scientists, the team looked at various means for revolutionizing the energy category from creams to patches.

Until Sheets, James was largely relying on his trainer to mix him a blend of B vitamins and raw caffeine, Carter said. Now, Sheets strips have become part of James’ pregame and half-time ritual.

“LeBron is always looking for a simple and organic pick me up,” Carter said. “This product is natural and organic, so it fits his lifestyle. It’s authentic for what we do.”

Each sheet comes individually wrapped in a paper-thin pouch that can be placed in a wallet or pocket. With 50 milligrams of caffeine, a Sheet has about the same amount of caffeine as a Diet Coke and less than a Red Bull, which has about 80 mg of caffeine in an eight-ounce can. The average cup of coffee has more than 130 mg, with premium blends significantly higher.

“You can’t put a Red Bull or a cup of coffee in your wallet, but you can put a sheet in your wallet,” Struhl said. “It’s a new delivery system for future products.”

he Sheets package recommends taking between one and three Sheets for the desired energy level. But consumers are warned not to exceed four Sheets in a three-hour period. General FDA recommendations say that up to 200 mg is considered safe for adult daily consumption.

Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, professor and chair of pediatrics at the University Miami, is still concerned about the potential danger of Sheets, particularly among children and teenagers. Lipshultz is the author of a study published earlier this year citing the danger of energy drinks for children, particularly those with diabetes, seizures, cardiac abnormalities or behavior disorders.

Those dangers are even more at risk with a product like Sheets, where one strip exceeds what could be safe for a child, he said.

“Kids want to emulate their favorite athletes,” Lipshultz said. “It’s not hard for a child to put a whole box in his mouth. It’s a lot harder to drink three or four energy drinks, plus then you’re going to end up going to bathroom. The smaller you are, the more danger there is.”

Sheets come in two size packages of individually-wrapped energy strips and two flavors: Berry Blast and Cinnamon Rush. Suggested retail prices are $5.95 for a 10-pack and $2.95 for a four-pack.

The products were first introduced in late June at GNC stores around the country and are in the process of arriving at other national retailers including Walgreens, Walmart, Circle K and 7-Eleven.

Sheets vending machines were installed last week in Aventura and Pembroke Lakes malls, with others scheduled to be installed at Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise. Prices are the same as traditional retail, and the machine also has Sheets hats and T-shirts for sale at $20.

Long-term, Purebrands plans to use the Sheets delivery system for other lines of products including sleep supplements, vitamins and kid’s vitamins, Struhl said.

“They’re easier to take for kids and older people,” he said. “For everyone, it’s just a delivery system that makes sense.”

The launch is being supported by a $10 million marketing campaign that takes advantage of the company’s many celebrity partners. In addition to James, Pitbull and Williams, the list of celebrities who are part owners in the business include Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, hip-hop star Drake and New York Knicks center Amar’e Stoudemire.

“They just help spread the word a lot faster,” Struhl said. “Our society dictates that people follow popular culture and what these athletes and stars do.”

You’ll find James and others using their social media following on Facebook and Twitter to help publicize the brand.

“That’s where the people are,” Carter said. “When they like the product and use the product, we don’t have to tell them to talk about it. They just do.”

If the answer to those questions is yes, and you live in New England, you could land yourself an NFL star as a houseguest.

Newly-acquired Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco isn't ready to settle down in his new NFL hometown so he's looking to crash with a fan for awhile as he gets to know Boston a bit better.

"I'm going to do something different, I'm actually going to stay with a fan for the first two, three weeks of the season," the often outrageous wideout told the New England media on Tuesday according to a Boston Globe report.

"I'm not sure how it's going to work, but they have to have Internet. They have to have Xbox. That's about it," he said.

He told the assembled media that he wasn't joking, but that he hasn't picked the fan yet.

Ochocinco, who legally changed his name from Chad Johnson to a somewhat accurate Spanish word for his jersey numbers (8-5 for those non-Spanish speakers) while with the Cincinnati Bengals, was acquired by the Patriots last month to provide another weapon for Tom Brady and the high-powered New England offense.

The 10-year NFL veteran is a six-time Pro Bowler and has been selected first-team All-Pro twice.

Ochocinco, who was spotted at the Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway Park on Sunday night, said he's also leaving his GPS behind as he travels around Boston.

"The way I learn a new city is by traveling out, adventuring out, getting lost on purpose," he told ESPN. "This past weekend, I was a little frustrated because I was lost for about an hour, an hour and 30 minutes, and I couldn't get where I was needed to. (But) that's it. Boston, or actually heaven, has been good."

"We are extremely excited about establishing a Boys & Girls Clubs named after LeBron because he has been such a positive role for young people everywhere, especially in his hometown of Akron," said BGCA Vice President Frank Sanchez.

This new facility provides a safe environment for more than 125 children and teens after school and during the critical out-of-school time when young people are more at risk. "I wanted to give the young people of Akron the opportunity for a great future, a place where they can find the help and support they need to close the academic achievement gap and learn the importance of good character," said James.

The new LeBron James Boys & Girls Club which is located inside the Joy Park Community Center in East Akron is a direct result of a gift made by James and a partnership with the City of Akron with additional support provided by HP and Nike.

More endorsements for Michael Vick ESPN.com's Dan Graziano writes about all things NFC East in his division blog.

On Wednesday, Vick, who signed with Nike earlier this month, became an equity partner in Double Eagle Holdings, Ltd., the parent company of Fuse Science, Inc. And as part of the agreement, Vick will endorse Fuse Science and its line of sports nutrition vitamins and minerals.

"Fuse Science has game-changing technology and an incredible team of scientists and business leaders to bring it to market," Vick said. "I believe these products will revolutionize how athletes provide their bodies with nutrients and medicines, changing what we have come to accept as normal."

Vick, who led Philadelphia to an NFC East title last season, signed his first endorsement after being released from prison on Jan. 27 with Unequal Technologies, a company that produces football pads. And then on July 1, he returned to Nike, a company that had previously dropped him.

Young surprises McNair's sons

Vince Young

(This is an older article from 2009, but a great story nonetheless)For one day at least, Vince Young stepped up to try to fill the void for the late Steve McNair's two young sons, The Tennessean reported Thursday.

Young surprised 11-year-old Trenton and 5-year-old Tyler on Wednesday by showing up at their house and taking them to their school's "Dear Dads Breakfast" at a local restaurant.

"Those are my boys," Young told The Tennessean. "I wouldn't say it was to pay anyone back; it was just out of love. Steve would do it for me. He pretty much did it for me when I was growing up. I have a history with the boys and I want to do anything I can. I am their big brother."

"It was a great, great gesture," Dilworth told The Tennessean. "All the kids had been talking about the dads' breakfast and [Trenton and Tyler] were wondering what was going to happen with them.

"They were thrilled ... the boys came to school with huge smiles on their faces."

Young had a close relationship with Steve McNair, even before the latter was drafted by the Titans four years ago. He attended McNair's football camps when he was young. McNair was shot and killed July 4.

Besides being there for McNair's sons, Young gave other kids at the school jerseys and autographs.

"It was a surprise, and just to see the excitement on their faces, it's a great feeling," Young told The Tennessean. "We had a good time eating pancakes. I had an omelet.

"Overall they are doing cool, doing good. Just talking to their mom, I think they are going to be all right. I am always going to be here for them, always."

McNair also had two older teenage sons.

LeBron's bike event stresses education

The Miami Heat star is changing the scope of his annual bike-a-thon in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, scrubbing its former "King for Kids" moniker to now call the event "Wheels for Education" and building it around a two-week camp featuring reading and technology classes for 360 children about to enter third grade.

This year's bike event, a 2.6-mile ride where James will be accompanied by 20 selected high-school students, is Aug. 8.

[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Phil LongLeBron James, seen last year at his charity bike ride, is focusing the event on education this year.

"We're looking to continue to create awareness for these young kids," James, who founded the bike event in 2005, told The Associated Press. "Not only in this community, but in the world. Me having an influence with my voice, I'm blessed. So the No. 1 thing is creating awareness and I think this gives us an opportunity to make sure these kids not only get educated but have fun and being around people that can have a positive influence in their life."

James has said several times that ensuring children get through school is one of his biggest away-from-basketball priorities. He did not attend college, jumping directly to the NBA after finishing high school in 2003. He has already partnered with State Farm on an initiative called "26 Seconds," a nod to the statistic that, on average, one child drops out of school within that timeframe.

In a telephone interview from Akron, where he's spending part of his summer, James cited research suggesting third-grade academic achievement can be an indicator of how students will fare through the remainder of their scholastic careers. The "Wheels for Education" program will be concentrated on kids who were like James -- hailing from single-parent homes and sometimes simply needing a bit of extra help.

"What helped me in school was sports," James said. "When I was 8, 9, that was the first time I started playing organized sports and I had coaches around me that stressed education and not being allowed to play if we weren't doing our schoolwork or being at school on time, things like that."

“I let them ask me whatever they want to. Everything. Using my influence, using my experience, I can help them. And it's not always about basketball."

”-- LeBron James

As for the questions that kids ask -- and they do -- about why they need college if James didn't, he has a quick reply for them.

"I'm still learning," James said. "Every day. I'm learning business. I'm learning finance. I'm learning a lot of things that help me in everyday life. I'm doing a lot of reading and I'm still improving as a student, even though I am a professional athlete."

Once a child completes the two-week camp this summer, he or she will receive a laptop, school supplies and a bike, made possible by HP, Nike and the LeBron James Family Foundation, among others. Plans call for the kids to continue getting support, in partnership with the Akron Public Schools, through their high school graduations.

"I've had the pleasure of watching LeBron grow as a player, and mature as a philanthropist," Akron mayor Donald Plusquellic said in a news release. "His new commitment to the Akron After School program is an investment that will pay dividends years to come because there is no investment more important than in the children whose circumstances he knows so well. ... He continues to be a role model for our youth for his accomplishments on and off the court."

James said one of the program's goals for this year is to have the third-graders all reading at what would be at least a fourth-grade level. He's also busy with a number of other initiatives with kids this summer, mainly revolving around basketball: The LeBron James Skills Academy, which brings the nation's top 80 high school players, opened in Akron on Tuesday.

"I let them ask me whatever they want to," James said. "Everything. Using my influence, using my experience, I can help them. And it's not always about basketball."

Also on James' docket this summer: His "King's Academy" for kids age 7-17 starts in San Diego later this month, and he'll be on a Nike trip to China in August.

It sounds busy, but after last summer's whirlwind, this summer is downright breezy for James.

For one, the NBA just entered a lockout, meaning next season is officially in jeopardy. A deal between owners and players could not be reached before a June 30 expiration of the most recent labor deal, and the sides are billions apart in their financial proposals.

James averaged 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the Heat during the regular season, and had the league's hottest-selling jersey. When the NBA comes back, James said he will be rested and ready.

"If you compare this summer to last summer, it's night and day," James said. "I know I have a lot of work to do, on the court and off the court, this summer. I'm going on to another challenge, and I'm looking forward to it."

TCU safety Tejay Johnson was one of three All-Americans to go unselected in the 2011 NFL draft (Stanford center Chase Beeler and Florida punter Chas Henry are the others), but for Johnson, the real story is that while he may very well have been thought of as a draftable player -- Rob Rang, Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, told me that he had Johnson with a fourth- to fifth-round grade -- the football player had other things in mind.

Despite his status as the unquestioned leader and engine of a TCU defense that has been one of the NCAA's best over the last few seasons, Johnson has retired from football to work with the deaf. Instead of going to the pre-draft all-star games and scouting combine, he stayed in school, determined to finish his degree in habilitation of the deaf and hard of hearing.

Johnson's friends didn't see it the same way, at least at first. He played like a kid who had received 48 offers from colleges as he came out of high school, but he was always a different breed of cat. Always thinking of others. The oldest child in a family of 11 children, he was constantly helping his parents whenever and however he could. That family feeling facilitated the event that changed his life and widened his focus.

He tried to talk with a deaf cousin. "I'd slow my lips down so she could try to read them," he recently told the Modesto Bee. "She could talk a little. She could put together phrases. But it was hard."

So, he bought a book on sign language, and a new journey started. More and more, Johnson found a life outside of football. He joined the school's gospel choir and its NAACP chapter. He wanted more from his life.

Of course, with a legitimate shot at the NFL, it was hard for some to understand. ReceiverJeremy Kerley(notes), his roommate at school, excelled at the Senior Bowl and was drafted on Saturday in the fifth round by the New York Jets. He called Johnson from the Senior Bowl and told his friend that he was "better than anybody else out there."

Johnson refuted that notion, insisting that he was just in the right place at the right time to make all those plays. Not true -- you don't become the centerpiece of a defense that good with average performances. Scrubs don't amass 169 tackles, seven interceptions, 15 passes defensed, and five forced fumbles in 49 games. The three years he was a starter were the three years TCU led the nation in total defense.

But Tejay Johnson is a good reminder of one simple point. Just because you don't make in pro football — or don't even try to make it even when you can— doesn't mean that you've failed.

His next challenge may be to get his retirement by his grandmother, who must be proud, but may have had other ideas.

"My grandmother, that might be a different story," Johnson said. "She had such high hopes for the Cowboys."

Charles Barkley wants to give your start up business $25,000

Charles Barkley

By Jason Fell entrepreneur.com

Cash-strapped, aspiring entrepreneurs who think they have the next big idea may be able to secure some seed money from an unlikely source: Charles Barkley. The National Basketball Association Hall of Fame power forward also known as "Sir Charles" announced on his website a contest called "Earn Chuck's Bucks." He's calling for the best business-plan pitches and says he'll give the winner $25,000 to help fund that business.

Here's how it works: Any U.S. resident age 18 or older can visit the contest page and submit his or her business-plan pitch. The entry period ends at 11:59 p.m. on July 18. Finalist entries will be posted on CharlesBarkley.com where fans will be encouraged between Aug. 16 and Sept. 2 to vote for their favorite pitch. A winner will be selected in mid-September based on the total number of fan votes and other criteria, which include the pitch's creativity, originality, feasibility and "energy and enthusiasm."

The contest is co-sponsored by Barkley and Turner Sports Interactive Inc., which produces Inside the NBA. Barkley, who retired in 2000, serves as an analyst for the program.

This definitely isn't your typical business plan contest, and it might seem a little strange coming from a former NBA All-Star with no previous business experience. But a giveaway like this can be a significant opportunity for a bootstrapping entrepreneur who is looking to get his or her idea off the ground. Barkley admits in a video announcing the contest that he feels that it's his job to "help people become successful." It's hard to have any qualms about this goal.

In the video, Barkley offers advice about how contestants should craft their pitches:

• Keep it short. The official rules call for entries to be 3,900 characters or less. "Send me the CliffsNotes [version]," Barkley says in the video. "I don't want to be readin' through a bunch of crap."

• Make it realistic. Give your idea some thought, and preferably do some market research before sending in your entry. "Don't be sendin' me no bull," Barkley says. In other words, make sure the idea isn't "turrible."

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — NBA All-Star Chris Webber came to Baltimore Monday for a huge announcement for the Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

Mary Bubala reports he’s putting his time, energy and name behind a campaign to build a new wing that highlights athletes and sports.

The Great Blacks in Wax Museum on North Avenue in Baltimore City is launching a campaign to build a new museum and they are teaming up with a sports star: five-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber is leading the fundraising effort for the sports wing, a 3,000-square foot space that will be devoted to the history and contributions of black athletes.

“Chris is an example of what happens when you put your money and your commitment where your heart is,” said Dr. Joanne Martin, CEO of the Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

“I asked Dr. Martin if I could partner with her to raise money for the new facility so I can help inspire kids who look like myself, kids who don’t look like me but kids who come from the same areas and show them you can go through anything,” Webber said.

Webber is known for his moves on the court, but off of it, he’s an avid collector of signed historical documents of prominent African-Americans and he’s a big fan of the Great Blacks in Wax Museum. He first visited it with his wife, a former teacher in Baltimore.

“She always took her students there and you know, she treats me like a student, one of her kids anyway. I went to the museum and it changed my life,” Webber said.

The sports wing that Webber is spearheading is part of a much larger expansion. The museum is looking to build a block long, 120,000 square foot state-of-the-art new Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

Webber is hoping to raise more than $4 million for the sports wing. This fall, he will officially launch the project in Baltimore with a golf tournament and gala reception.

(FT. WASHINGTON, MARYLAND) Through his charitable arm, Brian’s Blessings, Brian Westbrook has presented a memorable prom experience to two well-deserving students from Friendly High School. This young man and young woman were chosen to receive this honor in recognition of their achievements in school, their volunteerism in the community and their association with the Allentown Boys & Girls Club. “Young people today are so often recognized for negative things in life or for getting into trouble. I’m a firm believer that if we can recognize and praise the positive things kids do, they will do more positive things!” Westbrook says. “These youth exemplify being excellent students, good citizens, and giving back to the community even at their young age.”

The young man’s name is Alijah Harley. Alijah is described as loving, caring, independent and always aiming to please his mom. He knows and loves the Lord and is constantly encouraging others to do what’s right. His dreams are to be successful in life, play basketball, help some people out along the way and make his mother proud. He will hold on to his Christmas and birthday money as long as he can just so that his mother will not have to provide money for him for school lunch or other activities. Alijah is a basketball junky and has been an Allentown Arrow since age 7. Outside of his active basketball life, he has taken the time out to volunteer with his uncle Mike with his youth basketball team, he has volunteered at health fairs sponsored by the nonprofit organization the River Jordan Project, Inc., and has served as an executive board parliamentarian with Friendly High School Student Government Association (SGA) for the last two years. He has taken honors courses and been an active member on/off in the honors program since elementary school. Alijah takes pride in being a big brother, a Friendly patriot and a mature teenager. This is a child who genuinely takes his walk of life seriously and looks forward to becoming a lawyer of some sort in the future.

The young lady’s name is Brittany Jackson and she is an amazing leader. She is an honor roll student at Friendly High School in Fort Washington MD where she is also a member of the National Honor English and Spanish society. Brittany maintains a 3.5 GPA and is the Captain of the varsity Cheerleading squad which has placed in numerous Cheerleading competitions. After high school Brittany plans to go to college and major in Psychology. Brittany is a member of Mt. Ennon Baptist church in Clinton, MD where she actively serves and participates in church activities. She has also volunteered with Allentown Rec center cheer squad for the 10 & under division, which won first place in the Maryland State Nationals for Boys & Girls Club of America Competition. Brittany is a wonderful daughter, oldest of her siblings and a great friend to all.

This special prom couple will be receiving prom dress and shoes, make up session on prom day, boutonniere and corsage, dinner for two at Jordans8 Steakhouse on Capitol Hill in Washington DC and limousine service.

Chiefs tight end Leonard Pope

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Leonard Pope saves six year old from drowningcourtesy of NBC Sports Greg Rosenthal

The Americus Times-Recorder in Georgia reports that Pope saved a six-year-old child from drowning over the weekend. Anne Moore, a family friend of Pope, says Pope heard her cry for help at a pool party.

“All of a sudden, I saw Bryson going down in the water and I started screaming. Leonard was inside, and he came out of nowhere and dove into the water without any hesitation, cell phone in his pocket and all,” Moore said. “He saved my son’s life, and I am so thankful that he was there for me and my child.”

Moore has known Pope since he was a kid. As she points out, there are indeed some positives to the lockout.

“My prayers were answered by God when Leonard jumped in and saved my son,” said Moore. “The fact that he is normally at camp and could have been in Kansas City just proved to me that he was placed here to save my son from drowning, and I thank God that he was here.”

Asante Samuel helping single mothers.by Dan Graziano espn.com

Samuel made a $25,000 donation to the Habitat for Humanity office in Miami and did some of the physical labor on the new home for Nicole Dukes as part of his "Bring it Home Single Moms" charity. This was apparently the first of several homes he hopes to help build for low-income single mothers as part of an idea that grew out of his own experience being raised by one. "The building of this first home, as well as the creation of the foundation, is a tribute to my mother, Christine," he said. "Our aim is to provide homes for single mothers who faced similar challenges as the ones she had." So let's see ... this is a charity rooted in a player's real-life experiences, close to his heart, on which he's doing actual work and not just cutting checks. It's having an immediate and tangible impact on the lives of people for whom almost no one ever looks out. (Seriously, who's got it a lot tougher than single moms?)

I don't know. Maybe there's an embittered Giants or Redskins or Cowboys fan who can weigh in in the comments section with a reason this isn't a heartstring-tugging story. And yes, yes, yes, I'm sure there are players on your own favorite teams who are doing plenty of worthwhile charity work -- I'm certainly not intending to slight anyone here. But I just saw this story and thought, for me, it seemed like an awfully good use of a man's lockout-imposed free time. Tip o' the cap to ya, Asante. We'll see you again here tomorrow when we talk about the top 10 defensive players in the division, I promise.

Michael Vick surprises two grads with $5,000 scholarships.

Posted by Mike Florio on June 10, 2011, 10:13 PM EDT AP

As expected, Eagles quarterback Mike Vick gave the commencement address at the Camelot schools graduation ceremony on Friday.

Per the Associated Press, Vick said that he would be giving $5,000 each to Monique Joseph and Rickey Savage. Joseph will attend Penn State. Savage plans to go to Virginia Union University.

“I heard a little bit about it yesterday, but I had no idea how generous he was going to be to our students,” Camelot CEO Todd Bock said. “I think our kids, our schools and our story really resonated with him.”

Camelot has six locations in Philadelphia. The schools serve roughly 1,800 students who have emotional, disciplinary, and/or academic problems.

The night before the NFL draft was a harrowing one for Justin Tuck and his family.

Tornadoes were tearing through the South, far too close to his hometown of Kellyton, Ala. One ripped through the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where his sister, Brittany, goes to school.

For far too many hours, her phones and power were out, and Justin couldn't find her.

"She lives basically a block away from it," Tuck told the Daily News Wednesday. "The tornado was maybe 500 yards away, two blocks away. Luckily for us she was OK. But it was an intense moment. We didn't know until the next day that she was OK."

The rest of Tuck's family was OK, too, about 100 miles away from Tuscaloosa and about 20 miles from the nearest tornado path. But Tuck said he knows some of the many people in the area who were devastated by the violent April 27 storms. Thursday, the Giants' defensive end will return to Tuscaloosa to see what he can do to help.

Tuck has teamed up with JP Morgan Chase and World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, to bring $275,000 and some help to the victims of the tornadoes in Alabama.

Tuck will donate $25,000 to World Vision through his R.U.S.H. for Literacy organization. JP Morgan Chase will donate $150,000 to World Vision and another $100,000 to the West Alabama Chamber Foundation for its Tuscaloosa Disaster Relief Fund.

When he arrives in Alabama this afternoon, the Giants' captain plans to meet with some of the affected families and do whatever else needs to be done while he's there.

"I plan on doing just about everything I can when I'm down there," Tuck said. "If that includes rebuilding homes or whatever it may be, I'm game for everything."

Cincinnati Red's Brandon Phillips, A Star on and off the field.article by: Tara Kay Deville

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On a rare day off, Cincinnati Reds' second baseman, Brandon Phillips, chose to accept a Twitter invite from 14-year-old Connor Echols. Echols, who plays third base for the Cincinnati Flames U14 select team, follows Phillips on Twitter.

According to the Dayton Daily News, after reading Phillips's tweet about going to a Honda dealership in Monroe, Connor realized his idol would be close to the ball field where he and his team were playing that evening. So, the young, enterprising third baseman tweeted an invite. The response was simple and direct, "where and when." The invitation came while Phillips was debating what to do with the rest of his free day, and he made the unusual decision to make a fan's day. Not wanting to make Connor nervous, he did not share his plans with the young player.

Former Jaguars receiver Mike Sims-Walker and Titans running back Chris Johnson have thrown parties in Orlando before, but this year they decided to add a charitable element to their event.

The two friends, who grew up in Orlando, are hosting Sky/2K Celebrity Weekend which will feature a party tonight, a football camp on Saturday followed by a party at Clarion Resort and Water Park Saturday night, then a charity basketball game on Sunday. A $50 pass gets you into the parties and basketball game. Registrations for the football camp are accepted with a $50 donation to Johnson's foundation.

"Our foundations are similar to each other," Sims-Walker said. "This is the third annual but the first two years was just a party. There really wasn't much for the kids to do. We had to incorporate that."

This link will provide more details like information on VIP access to the parties and how to register kids for the football camp. Sims-Walker is expecting Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis, quarterback David Garrard, receiver Mike Thomas and defensive tackle Terrance Knighton at his event. Some of the others who are expected to attend include Chad Ochocinco, Amar'e Stoudamire, Randy Moss, Michael Vick, Larry Fitzgerald and Warren Sapp. Not every player will attend every event, but each even will have some.

Proceeds will benefit Sims-Walker's foundation, which supports colon cancer research, the illness that took his father, and Johnson's foundation which supports cancer research in general. They'll also be awarding two student athletes $500 scholarships at the basketball game.

And yes, Sims-Walker and I also talked about his pending free agency... but that's a story for another blog post.

He may go down as one of the most inconsistent, frustrating fantasy players to have on your roster. And yes, some weeks he may have made you consider turning to a large bottle of vodka…so that you could bust it against a table and stab him with the sharp edges. But put all that bitterness aside my fellow fantasy owners who drafted (or got stuck with) Braylon Edwards. He’s more than made up for it. Braylon recently made good on a promise to donate more than $1 million in tuition for 100 Cleveland students. The student recipients held up their end of the bargain by participating in 15 hours of community service and maintaining a 2.5 grade point average. Here’s the hilarious tweet from Edwards on the program.

“As the 2nd most hated man in Clev & a man of my word, today I will honor a promise made to 100 students in Cleveland years ago. The last of my Advance 100 students will graduate from my program and head off to college on scholarships that I will provide them with. Guys enjoy and embrace your new beginnings and remember your promise to me, to reach back & help someone else along the way.”

Trust me Braylon, you weren’t just hated in Cleveland. But with this good deed, consider yourself universally loved…at least until draft day.

LeBron James' 'Decision' helps Boys & Girls Clubs in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has made good on a promise to help Boys & Girls Clubs across Northeast Ohio by sharing advertising proceeds from the controversial broadcast of his free-agency defection to the Miami Heat.

Clubs in Cleveland, Akron and Elyria report receiving a total of more than $480,000, part of about $2 million that James has distributed nationwide since the July broadcast, billed as "The Decision."

In Cleveland, clubs in the Mount Pleasant and Slavic Village neighborhoods have received $130,000.

A contribution of nearly $60,000 repaired a leaky roof, refurbished a dingy gymnasium and will pay for a new playground at the Mount Pleasant club on East 131st Street. And the Slavic Village club on Broadway received $70,000, which was used to install a new gym floor and purchase bleachers. The club also is waiting on delivery of 20 new computers.

Both clubs also received a video sports training system and $2,500 worth of sports gear.

In addition to the $2 million cash contribution, James arranged for the donation of $500,000 in computers from Hewlett-Packard and $500,000 in gear from Nike. Fifty-nine Boys & Girls Clubs across the country are receiving help from James.

Neither James nor any of his representatives were available for comment Tuesday. James did send a letter through his marketing company to Cleveland City Councilman Tony Brancatelli, whose ward includes the Slavic Village neighborhood.

"I am so excited that the renovated gym, new floor and computer lab at the Broadway Boys & Girls Club are finished, and I've been told that everything looks amazing," the letter said. "These additions are great for the neighborhood, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to give back to the Cleveland community."

James has taken plenty of heat for announcing his free agency signing with Miami on ESPN, which he later acknowledged he should have handled differently. Public relations blunder or not, his contribution to Boys & Girls Clubs have been significant.

Ron Soeder, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland, now views "The Decision" as a mixed blessing.

"If you asked me which way I'd like to have seen things go, I'd have preferred that he'd stay in Cleveland and get involved with the Boys & Girls Club," Soeder said.

Not surprisingly, Brancatelli had a political point of view about The Decision.

"I'm certainly hurt he left our team, but I'm excited he still thinks enough of our city to make this contribution," Brancatelli said. "I wish him all the best of luck in his basketball endeavors . . . except when he's playing the Cavaliers."

Kids playing basketball on the new floor at the Broadway Avenue club Tuesday afternoon had a more forgiving attitude toward James than is typically expressed by the those who continue to demonize him on sports talk radio.

"I think he deserves to get a ring," said LaBron Sanford, 14. "He just went to a better team."

James' $240,000 contribution to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve, which covers Summit County, will pay for the creation of a new club in Akron's Joy Park neighborhood. It is scheduled to open in late August.

Executive Director Teresa LeGrair said James has been a "man of his word."

"It's not the first thing he had done for this community and there will be many more to come," LeGrair said. "LeBron loves kids and he's proven that time and time again."

Chicago Bears rookie asked girl to 8th grade dance.by : MJD

J.T. Thomas(notes) was drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago Bears, but the lockout leaves him without much to do right now. The athletic, hard-hitting linebacker out of West Virginia University is still in Morgantown, keeping in shape and spending time with his family. Every day, Thomas helps his 7-year-old brother Jared get home from school. Riding the same bus as Jared is an eighth-grade girl named Joslyn Levell, who happened to grow up in Chicago as a Bears fan and now lives in Morgantown. Joslyn has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair.

With assists from the bus driver and J.T.'s stepmother, Thomas got on the bus one day to say hello to Joslyn. They hit it off immediately. From NFL.com:

As J.T. met a Bears fan in his hometown, Joslyn explained to him that she'd had a rough week because all of the boys she asked to the dance declined. Thomas melted.

"I hugged her and signed a few things and we talked for awhile and she cried a bit," Thomas recounted. "I gave her a hug and told her everything would work itself out."

It did. J.T. asked her to the dance himself.

"I was nervous that by the time I reached out, she might have had a date and would have to turn me down," he said.

Joslyn gladly accepted the invitation.

"After so many people turned me down, this was so big especially, because he asked me instead of me asking him," she said.